If Wenger is bold, this drought will end next year…
Let me make this very simple for everybody. ‘Acting’ as one of the biggest pessimistic drones the world will ever see, I can assure you Arsenal can seriously COMPETE for the ‘double’ next season if Wenger makes a few bold moves.
Although, this may seem pretty difficult for him yet it is not something unthinkable. Its a simple formula – make the funds from the sale of players and re-invest those funds back to purchase players.
Notable players out on loan who will be returning AND should be sold :
| PLAYERS | TRANSFER FEES | |||
| Arshavin | 4 million pounds | |||
| Denilson | 4.5 million pounds | |||
| Bendtner | 6.25 million pounds | |||
| Mannone | .75 million pounds | |||
| Carlos Vela | 8 million pounds | |||
I have taken rough estimates here so that the resulting figure is not a wierd number. Hence, this will roughly generate 23.5 million. Lets round that off to 23 million pounds.
Below are the players from the first team who should be shipped out this summer :
| PLAYERS | TRANSFER FEES | ||
| Djourou | 4 million pounds | ||
| Squillaci | 1.5 million pounds | ||
| Park Chu Young | 4 million pounds | ||
| Chamakh | 6 million pounds | ||
That is another 14.5 million. Lets again round that off to make it 14. This will bring up the total transfer kitty from 23 to 37 million pounds.
Ramsey in my opinion should be loaned out this summer to another premier league club. he is a player who runs around too much contributing very little to the game. And quite frankly needs to get out of his comfort zone. I cannot confirm this, but Ramsey’s weekly wages are approximately 55,000 pounds/week. And annually that is a little over 2.8 million pounds. If the club loans him out, that will create savings worth that much. Hence, that is roughly 40 million pounds as a transfer kitty ONLY by shipping out the ‘not upto Arsenal quality’ players at Arsenal.
If reports are to be believed, then Arsenal have signed Yann M’Vila for 22 million pounds. Add to that Podolski who cost the club 10 million pounds. That is still 8 million left to spend IF the above players are sold.
Let me clarify here that above I have taken estimates of the transfer fees that can be earned of these players. Hence, we may end up getting a little less for them (or even more). A pragmatic approach with respect to this case would be to subtract 3 just in case. Considering that also, the transfer kitty that will be generated will be about 36 million.
However, it’s the managers move and everything depends on Wenger willingness to spend this summer. Soon I will be out with a detailed post concentrating on each segment of the team and who we should keep/ship out.
But up to then, this should do just fine.
Best,
DKD
Match Ratings: Wigan Athletic FC 0-4 Arsenal FC
Szczesny: Clean Sheet, had almost nothing to do the entire game apart from a few decent catches from less then hopeful balls from the toothless Wigan Attack. However id enough early on to prevent a sure Wigan goal. 6
Kosher- Put under pressure early on but adapted to the game. Is getting better going forward but he is definitely a temporary right back. 7
Mertersacker- Solid performance. No nonsense , good positional sense and made a great tackle on Moses to prevent him going forward. 7.5
Vermaelen – Solid as well . Moped up everything and got us our second goal from a set piece . He is definitely are main threat aerially. Just goes to show his desire and leaping ability knowing he is 5 inches shorter than his teammate. 8
Santos : Poor defensively . He could have cost us if the opposition were better. Out of position on a number of occasions. He faded away in the second half as an attacking threat after starting off brightly.5
Song : Off day for him. Lost possession many a times. However helped out the defence when we were under pressure at the beginning. 5.5
Ramsey : A decent performance from the Welshman. Kept possession well and should have been given a penalty when he was brought down by Gohouri. His link up play was good today.7
Gervinho- Needs to shoot more when he is in good positions. Had a great game otherwise. Linked well with the team and scored our third after starting the move. 7.5
Walcott- Looked threatening at times and played a great ball in the box during the first half. Did well to set up our Captain for our fourth. 7.5
Arteta- Finally someone who had a pop at goal as none of the Wigan players were closing us down enough. Ended at the back of the net and gave us our first that got us going. Impeccably good in possession and calm as an Arsenal fan during the invincible year. Had a great game second only to our Captain. 8
Robin Van Persie- Man of the Match. Set up two goals and scored our fourth. Missed a chance to get our fifth. 9
Substitutes :
Le Coq, Arshavin, Benny- N/A
Cheers,
DKD
[One word] Match Ratings : Arsenal FC 0-1 Manchester City FC
Allright, I am going to try and post these match ratings in a different way, so do bear with me. Usually I give a small paragraph explaining the good and bad from players, but today I want to summarise his contribution towards the match in one simple word…
Luke : err…6
DJ : unforseen….7
Squillaci : Mediocre…6
Koscileny : aura…8
Ignasi : riposte..6
Frimpong : Attitude…7.5
Yossi : Lacuna….6.5
Coquelin : Workhorse….7
Alex : Inspiration….8
Chamakh : Unexceptional….6.5
Chu : Toothless…5
Arshavin : Bohemian..5
Vermaelen : N/a
Well, I guess that is the best way I can ‘sum up’ how the Gunners played yesterday.
Cheers,
DKD
Match Ratings : Arsenal FC 1-1 Fulham FC
Szczesny : Well, to be honest, he was helpless for the goal. Apart from that he pulled out a good save against Dembele, and he did not show off his bag of tricks when the ball was passed back to him. Overall a good performance from the pole…7
DJ : Decent game. I do not want to over criticise him too much because that will be harsh. IF I had one complaint , it would be the fact that he did not get into the attack much, but then I understand why , He is not a RB….7.5
Vermaelen : Attitude is something you should always have one a football pitch. This man has that and that is why he responded the way he did. Yes, he was at fault for the own goal because he should have cleared it better, but the header into Schwarzer’s net was unstoppable hard and low….7
Per : Routine work from the German, just like his countrymen….7.5
Santos : I do not know what to make of Andre. Sometimes its a delight to watch him. Yesterday he was mediocre in defense. he picked up a silly yellow card, but on the attacking front he was good. he even did a roulette in the game. However one thing i must give him credit for is the way he pressed down his flank, intercepting loose balls when possible….6.5
Song : Today, he was average. He made some runs forwards but they were pointless because he had no one to give it to. Defensively, however he was sound….6.5
Ramsey : Should have taken his chance in the first half. He was the lively one of the midfield trio but was ineffective due to the fatigue of other players and played some poor passes…..6
Arteta : He has to get into the game more. Why does he play CDM ?..6.5
Theo : Another good assist from Theo , but he came to life during the last 10 mins of the game. Before that he was shunned out by Riise. He did make one brilliant run forward before passing it to Ramsey, but that was it from the Englishman. Defensively, he helped out too…7.5
Robin : You cannot expect him to score in every match. He had a few chances, of which I did expect one to go in. One even went past Schwarzer but Baird was there to clear….7
Arshavin : I feel people are really harsh on Arshavin. Look, Arshavin knows that there is competition on the field, and yesterday although he did not play really well, at the same time he did not play really badly. He ran for the ball 3 out of 5 times, an improvement ? Don’t you think ?..6.5
Substitutes :
Gervinho : He changed the intensity of the game when he came on. But I did feel that the boss should have brought him on earlier. I think he will start against City….7
Diaby : Brought a spark to our game and increased the intensity. N/A
Chamakh : N/A
Cheers,
DKD
Match Ratings : Arsenal FC 2-1 Borussia Dortmund FC
Szczesny- Nothing much to do . 6
Koscielny- Solid at the back. Snuffed out anything coming his way and made some vital interceptions. We conceded after he was taken off and replaced by DJ who I’m not a big fan of. 8
Mertersacker- Did nothing wrong and was composed at the back. Never had any problems. 7.5
Vermaelen – His usual consistent performance as he dealt with the added pressure of Santos leaving him exposed on occasions. Provided the flick on to Robin for our second as we finally managed to score from a corner. 8
Santos- Still a big question mark over his positioning. Attacking-wise a treat to watch and very sound technically. Even with the One v Ones the man was very effective with his ‘unorthodox’ technique. 6.5
Song- People will blame him for the goal we conceded but I think DJ should have done better and not left it to Song. MOTM for me. Broke up play brilliantly and kept possession. Fantastic Messi like skill to get past three players and deliver a ball which was on the money for our first. 9
Arteta- Worked hard and needs to be more of a creative force. Put in his usual impressive defensive shift. 7
Ramsey – The creative spark in our team but is inconsistent. Overall had a decent game with some good balls to Theo. Nothing of much significance . 6.5
Gervinho- Ran alot but nothing much in the final third . He really lacks a finish and needs to work on it. Should have been rested in my opinion for this game but had a decent outing. Missed a chance to put us two up when Robin put him through on goal. 6
Walcott- A good performance from Theo. Gave a delightful ball in the box which could have gone anywhere and made some great runs down his flank . However went missing sometimes. 7
Robin – Scored two goals and created a great chance for Gervinho. Nothing more to say as its typical Robin Van Persie. 9
Substitutes-
DJ – Should have done better for the goal we conceded and taken responsibility instead of leaving it to Song . Was wrong sided which was poor defensively. N|A
Benayoun- Kept possession well but got booked for a bad challenge. N/A
Match Ratings : Norwich City FC 1-2 Arsenal FC
I was a little nervous before the game commenced and was very jittery towards the end but we did it and deserved it. We should have won the game by a glut of goals but it wasn’t to be. Still as Gooners we are happy as we got what we came for.
Third Eye :
Szczesny- Not much to do. Collected the crosses and balls that looked threatening without any fuss. Could he have helped out Per during that moment of madness? I doubt it. Needs to clear earlier for me. Scares the daylights out of me with his confidence. 7
Kosher- Did well, very well at right back. Wasn’t much of an attacking threat which is quite understandable as right back is not his natural place . Hardly left his position and was fully committed. Hats off .7.5
Mertesacker – Made a blunder to give away the goal. The incident clearly shook his confidence but he coped well later on. Made some good clearances. Needs to get a little more aggressive and maybe stronger. Did well to hold off that twat by the name of Holt ( clearly dived ). 5
Vermaelen- His usual brilliant self today. Won his headers and produced some great long balls, and a great run down the left crossing a beautiful ball to Gervinho who should have converted. 8
Andre Santos- Technically sound. Positional wise, not ! Most of Norwich’s attacks came from his side. Fortunately he has a world class centre back to cover him. Always an available attacking outlet. 5.5
Song- A great game from Song who produced the assist for our winner. Broke up play well and kept possession well. 7.5
Arteta- Bailed out Song when needed to. His technical skills are marvellous. Linked play well and had a balanced game of attack and defence. 7.5
Ramsey : Oops ! Sorry for not mentioning him, and thankyou to “addy” for letting me know. Aaron was quiet in both halves, but he did keep the game moving all the time. He made interceptions and players some delightful balls to Robin who took on from there. He was silent, but in his own secret way he ensured that the supply to the front trio of Gervinho, Theo and Robin does not get dry up…7.5
Walcott- Fantastic in the first half. Did loose his way a little bit but a great overall game from Theo. Provided the assist for our first and hit the post with a fantastic shot from a very tough position. Deserved to be on the score sheet. 8
Gervinho- Missed three clear chances which included two 1-on-1′s, the latter a wonder as to how he did not convert. However he still had a great game and looked dangerous going forward all the time. Needs to practice his shooting .7
Robin- The adjectives used to describe him as a player can be aptly used to describe his second goal – Brilliant, cool, clinical, ‘World Class.’ Made some fantastic chances for his teammates as well including the aforementioned Gervinho miss. 9.5
Substitutes-
Benayoun- Came on for Gervinho to keep possession . N/A
Match Ratings- Arsenal FC vs Olympique de Marseille
The game started at a great pace in the first half and one could say it was one of the more entertaining goalless halves in the champions league. It became dull later on but probably due to fatigue owing to the high voltage derby a few days ago. However we are still top and will most likely remain top by the end of the group stages.
Here are the Match Ratings -
Szczesny – A threat to all Arsenal fans with cardiac problems. Got out of a tight situation with some unique skill for a goalkeeper. Someone seriously needs to tell him to stop going walk about. Sooner or later we will be in trouble for it. Somehow we all still seem to like his confidence. He didn’t have much to do apart from his antiques as mentioned before. Collection was commendable. 6.5
Carl- Looks to get better with every game even if his body language doesn’t show it with those drooping shoulders. Should some great awareness to help out Mertersacker and intercept threatening passes. Did well offensively making some fine overlapping runs. 7
Mertesacker- People say that he is a fine defender when he has a fine partner and in this case he had a fabulous partner. Didn’t mess-up and did well mopping up at the back. A good flick header from an Arteta cross is all that he contributed towards the offence. 6.5
Vermaelen- Fantastic. There is something called presence and Tommy V possesses it. Commanding, calm and composed. Even with Santos leaving him alot to do he seemed to dominate and deal with one of the fittest teams in the Champions league efficiently. Don’t forget that he is just back. MOTM. 9.5
Santos- Poor defending. Out of position way too many times. Takes too many unnecessary risks. Offensively he is good no doubt. Gave a delightful ball to Ramsey who should have tested the goal keeper at the very least. However he is a defender and neglects his primary priorities as we could see most of Marseille’s attacks came from his half. One could say fatigue got to him. 5
Song- Passing was inconsistent but his usual self in the holding role. 6.5
Ramsey – Anonymous and missed a 2 great chances to give the Arsenal the lead in the first half. Subbed off for Rosicky. 5
Arteta- Neat passing as usual and put in a defensive shift to cover Santos. Needs to get more involved in the attack. 6
Gervinho- His first touch needs to get better. Made some good runs and a great pass to Ramsey who should have scored. Worked his socks off even after the tedious game in West London. 7
Walcott- Inconsistency and bad decision making is Theo Walcott . Why does he try to play long balls when he can take defenders on with his pace. Got tired in the second half and was not very effective. Let’s hope he shows his ability in the league game against WBA. 5
Park – Not given enough supply. Still getting used to the game. Needs more playing time. 5
SUBSTITUTES-
Robin Van Persie- Had a good chance to score and tried to lob the keeper but the attempt was poor and a difficult skill to pull off for anyone. A great ball in from the left which was met unfortunately by a defender.
Rosicky- Nothing much apart from a few good passes and one exceptional pass to Robin. Not enough time to settle.
Arshavin – Tried to create something but failed. Needed more time.
MATCH RATINGS – CHELSEA FC 3-5 ARSENAL FC
Before I go on to the ratings I must give credit where it is due….
…To Arsene Wenger – For believing in players like Theo, Ramsey, Kosher and Szczesny. They really stepped up in match which we all thought was the acid test for our beloved club. 10
Szczesny – Went walk about again and could have been sent off. Some clearances were not convincing but looked the only calm person at the back for us. Made a fine save against Lampard’s free Kick and did enough to put Sturridge off in the first half. 6
DJ- Got mauled in the first quarter of the first half. Recovered later on and did well afterwards. He is not a full back in the first place so I am not going to be too harsh on him. 5.5
Mertersacker- I was furious with him in the first half. Was in the wrong position for the first goal and left Terry completely unmarked for the second. Improved in the second half. 5
Kosher- Was the only one at the back not guilty of well to put it simply “Fucking up.” Apart from a few astray passes he gave everything he got. 6.5
Andre Santos- Defending wise he was horrible in the first half. Should have contained Mata better for the first goal and let Sturridge breeze past him for the disallowed one. He sometimes goes in too early with his challenges which is extremely risky. Luckily his success rate is not too shabby. Attacking wise he is a treat to watch. Scored 2 in 5 games for us and gave us our equalizer in the second half where he improved by leaps. However gave possession away to Chelsea for the Mata’s wonder goal. (How many wonder goals do people score against us) I must say he needs to control the Brazilian in him when defending against top opposition. After all he is a defender at first. 5
Song- A delightful pass to Santos for the equalizer. Made some crucial tackles and helped the defense, especially the full backs. 6.5
Arteta- Composed and calm as you would like one to be in a team that looked extremely jittery in the beginning. Hardly gave way possession when on the ball and kept the midfield ticking. Played some great passes especially the lofted one that put Robin on goal which he failed to control. 6.5
Ramsey – I really thought he was dross after the Spurs game. Well this is what confidence does to you. A transformed player ready to fill the hole Fabregas has left. Fantastic pass to Gervinho which cut Chelsea open. The Welsh-man played some delightful football. Could have gotten us a penalty after Cole tripped him . 7.5
Walcott- Wrong about him too. Tormented Cole and should have had two assists after feeding Gervinho and RVP splendid crosses. Made a new trick as he fell down got up again slithered past 2 defenders and smashed home our third. Well done Theo that too against one of the best left backs in the world. 7.5
Gervinho- Missed a guilt edged chance in the in the 11th min but was calm to provide Robin with our first after making a great run. Gave his defenders a tough time with his trickery. Overall a good attacking display. 7
RVP- Missed a great chance, lost control on two occasions where otherwise he could have gone through on goal. However a hat trick at Stamford Bridge. I loved his second where he waltzed passed Cech after taking full advantage of Terry’s slip. Bet Torres was watching. The Flying Dutchman. 9
SUBSTITUTES :
Rosicky – Hard tackling and some great passing . Was involved in our fifth goal. Nice play between him and Arteta during the dying mins of added time !
Carl- No nonsense from our young full back .Good to see him back.
Vermaelen- I was given a huge boost in confidence after seeing him come on. Didn’t have much to do though as Robin had finished the game off.
Match Ratings : Marseille 0-1 Arsenal FC
Szczesny- Had really nothing much to do. Did the basics right….6
Jenkinson- I was impressed with him today . More of a threat than Walcott was. Kept giving crosses in and ran his socks off. Was out of positions a couple of times but probably because he was our only attacking channel in the first half. Injured his knee . Had a chance to play Theo through but his ‘inexperienced prevailed’. Overall a good night. Let’s hope he gets back quick….7
Mertersacker- No nonsense from him .Good positioning. Remy got passed him once all too easily but apart from that didn’t put a foot wrong. Gave a great last ditch tackle to avert danger…7
Kosher – Same as his partner, had no problems and was a reliable presence….7
Santos- Lucky to be on the field after getting booked early and then committing needless fouls. A crazy handball which could have got him sent off. However his flank had little threat from Marseille showing us that he can defend and put in a tackle. Decent going forward….5.5
Song- Got booked early when he gave the ball away near our penalty area . Also tried to dribble his way out of the penalty box after a scramble which was dangerous . However credit to him for staying disciplined throughout the game and not get sent off . Some passes were astray…..6
Arteta- I have never been a big fan. People will give me stick for this but I really don’t see much of a difference between him and Denilson . He is probably better on the ball and doesn’t loose possession easily but is not very productive on the attack front as he gives too many side or back passes. Let’s hope he improves….5
Rosicky – Always rated him highly . Tried to be creative and kept possession well .Worked hard for us today…6
Arshavin – Quiet night for the Russian who tried but didn’t succeed…5
Walcott – Someone needs to tell him to use his pace when he can. Frustrating for me. Has the ability but not the brains. Had a great chance which Mandanda saved. Ox for me….4.5
RVP- Quiet night for our captain who was isolated up front . Had a header cleared of the line and some clever movement in the box later on in the game….6
Substitutes-
Gervinho – Was exactly what we needed , added that dynamic play to our game and played a crucial part in our goal providing the assist all be it unintentionally yet deservedly…..7.5
Ramsey – Rambo !! I criticised him alot but what a lovely finish just when your team needs it . Right at the end to grab the winner, great positioning. Just for the goal he is my MOTM…..8
DJ- Don’t like him either but a good display at right back. Played a crucial part in the goal with a surprisingly lovely cross. Defensively sound as well. Mate, please prove me wrong about yourself …..7
Match Ratings – Borussia Dortmund Vs Arsenal FC
Yesterday we saw a different avatar of the Arsenal team. A little more of George Graham then the tippy tappy, most certainly in the second half after we manage to shake of the nerves during the first 30 nervous minutes. Dortmund I must say are a really impressive team and it was admirable the way they took the game to us and yet Arsenal held on and almost won the game. Even though we conceded late you can’t do much about that goal except wonder if you could have scored like that in that time. I’m proud of our performance yesterday. Before it was not convincing and below what we expected, but now we have become better, and to be honest ‘are getting there’…
Match Ratings-
Schezer- Fantastic. A reliable presence between the sticks and a fabulous save in the dying minutes to keep us level. Could not do a thing about the goal and I doubt if any other keeper could. 9
Kosher- A torrid first half. If not for some woeful finishing by the Germans we would surely have been behind as he clearly let Kagawa through on goal , playing him on . Made up though in the second half with a performance which reminded me of the game at the Emirates against Barcelona. 6
Mertersacker- Clearly nervy on the ball, athough getting the basics right. Needs more time to adjust and we were playing an impressive side to be fair to him. 5.5
Sagna- Fantastic. Clearly deserves to be the best right back in the premier league .Kept things tidy at the back without Theo to help out and was always there when he needed to be to avert danger. 8
Gibbs- Not seeing much of an improvement in him defensively . Left too much space for the Germans to exploit. Someone needs to tell him to adjust to the situation and not just keep bombing forward. 5
Song-We all rate him highly and he showed exactly why. World Class is what he is . Snuffed out danger when required to you and kept running and running and taking the pressure of the defenders. Thank you for being back Alex. Just don’t stamp on anyone anymore. 8
Arteta- Won fouls to slow Dortmund ’s game down and took the pressure of the gunners. Looked comfortable with ball though he didn’t do much with it but clearly wasn’t hassled by the pressure of the German midfield. 6
Yossi- Not much of an attacking force but then again the Germans were excellent at hounding our players. He is new and it will take him time but clearly put in his defensive shift. 6
Gervinho- He is like a fitter and quicker Diaby. Doesn’t pass when he needs to though I like his confidence to take on Players. He gives a more direct and aggressive approach and we need that. He certainly need to improve his decision making. Got two brilliant chances in each half and was unfortunate to trip in one of the occasions. 6.5
Theo- Was non-existent throughout the game and but gave a vital contribution in assisting Robin’s goal. Needs to work harder. 5
RVP- Made the goal by winning back possession with a brilliant tackle followed by a fabulous finish on his weaker foot. 7
Subs
Frimpong- NA
Chamakh-NA
Santos- NA Debut match.
MATCH RATINGS : Udinese Calcio vs Arsenal FC
I am sorry I posted the match rating after a few days. I needed to get over the win, so I delayed this one.
Szczesny- Brilliant. MOTM. Fantastic penalty save which ensured our qualification and it was at crucial time as well because we had just scored minutes before. Excellent save in the first half as well. Could do nothing against the 1st goal, it was fabulous. Did everything else right. Hope he keeps it up….10
Carl – Good performance given the pressure he was under. Should have covered the right-wing better. Needs to clear better though I am sure we shall be seeing his rapid progress. I know I am a bit harsh on him, but he can step it up to Sagna’s level, and that is what I want….8
DJ- Should have marked Di Natalie better . Did the basics right. Needs to be more aware but overall a decent performance…..6.5
Vermaelen – Consistent as always. Gave away a penalty though it looked a harsh call. 7.5
Sagna- Adjusted to the left-wing without much difficulty though most of Udinese ‘s attacks were from the left. Stuck to his task and was the unsung hero again. Shouldn’t cross with his left foot though. 7.5
Frimpong- His inexperience showed as he left Sagna exposed too many times. Passing was ok. Subbed of after the first half for Rosicky…..5.5
Song – Excellent in possession. Some great tackles as well. We will miss him at OT on Sunday…7.5
Ramsey – Nothing special. Was tidy in possession. Got better as the game progressed . 6
Walcott- Missed a gilt edged opportunity in the first half hitting a perfectly laid off ball straight into the keeper. Scored a brilliant goal in the second half and was clearly annoying the Udinese defence….7
Gervinho- He is non-existent when it comes to defending but is brilliant going forward. Our most potent threat going forward. Fantastic in one v one situations buts needs to shoot more and dribble less. Made a fantastic chance for us which Walcott missed and created our first goal with a ‘sweet’ bit of skill to beat his man and feed RVP.8
RVP- Our captain looked calm in possession. Lead by example and didn’t panic when the going got tough. Cool finish to get us the equaliser….7
Substitutes-
Traore- Missed an opportunity to score when the ball rebounded off Handanovic after a fierce shot by RVP… N\A
Arshavin-N\A
Rosicky- Made some brilliant tackles to win possession back and some clever passes as well….7
THE ARMOURY
Match Ratings : Arsenal FC vs Manchester United FC
Pride restored, and job well done. Some may retrospect on ‘If we had performed in the last few matches’, but to hell with that. Lets get down to whats important. We won, they lost, and we deserved it more.
Arsenal FC 1-0 Manchester United FC.
Now to the Ratings…
Szczesny- Was really good in goal and learnt his lesson from Spurs. Quite hysterical, the manner in which he was playing around with Owen in the final minutes….8
Sagna – Arsenal ‘s joint player of the season for me. No nonsense defending and some great crosses. Got one on his thigh but did not cry like that Alves’ dog….9
DJ (subbed off) – Got out of some tight situations. Good defending, hope he is not out for the rest of the season…8
Kosher – Great defending and he commanded his zone confidently. He did make error that could have cost us when he half-heartedly tackled Rooney, leaving the back exposed. 7
Clichy – Great heading off the ball away every time is was crossed towards Valencia. But he gave the ball away too many times, though he gave some good lobbed passes to RVP…7
Song- Great game. He was everywhere, did not make stupid tackles & tamed the ‘Golden boy of Manchester’…8
Jack – Not one of his best games yet highly effective. He put in his shift as usual, and it was a game of 2 halves for him. He needs to work on his shooting. He was the reason Song could get caught out a few times. Keeps running and has great common sense while playing…7.5 ( loved it when he powered his way from Shrek causing him to get booked which was in all honesty not a booking.)
Aaron Ramsey- Gift from above. Great distribution, was the only one changing wings. Defended really well. And of course a great goal. Great positioning !…9
Walcott-Decent game as he put some great crosses in from nowhere.-“Most notably the Vidic Handball.” He did track back, however takes too long on the ball and has a bad first touch…7
RVP- Although a quiet game from the Dutchman, yet claimed one assist. Could have had many more. Should have got on the end of some of Walcott’s crosses…7
Nasri- Another quiet game for the Frenchman as he looked burned out…6
Substitutes :
Arshavin-Good game from the Russian who was the only calm Arsenal player trying to keep the ball rather than play it forward. Created some good counter attacks for us and got us a free kick. But most of all put in some great tackles at either end and tracked back well Looking forward to him starting in the coming weeks…8
Eboue- No silly mistakes. Was anonymous but the attacks from the right were limited after he was brought on. N/A
SQ18- Slow but his experience did help… 6.5
PS: NEMANJA VIDIC THOUGH A FANTASTIC DEFENDER IS A DISGUSTING DIRTY LITTLE C**T.
Guns-out,
THE ARMOURY
MATCH RATINGS- BOLTON WANDERERS FC VS ARSENAL FC
Szczesny- Saved a penalty. Saved against Lee and Elmander. Couldn’t do anything about the goals. MOTM for me from the Gunners side. 8
Sagna- Didn’t get much trouble down his side. Crossing was decent unlike Clichy. Seems consistent.7
DJ- Poor game. Weak defending against the Bolton strikers. Let Cohen beat him for the goal. Gave a penalty away as well though it was harsh. DJ is certainly a good player but I think we need someone better to start for us and let DJ be a back up. 4
Kosher- A decent outing for him but needs to get better aerially. 6
Clichy- His crossing is horrendous at times. A pity because he always seems to be in good positions to make a cross. Defensively he looked the most enthusiastic in closing people down and keeping it tight. Barca want him for a reason. 6
Song- Decent tackling but he too has a problem with aerial balls. 5
Cesc- Brilliant play between him and Robin for the goal. Hit the woodwork with a fantastic shot. But looked to be out of ideas in the latter stages of the game. 6.5
Nasri- No end product to his play and his cutting edge is eluding him. Missed a guilt edged chance and panicked again in another promising position. 5
Wilshere- Same as Nasri. Has no confidence in taking a shot when he gets the opportunity or has Wenger flushed it out of his system ? Off for Ramsey at the end.5
Walcott- Faded away in the game. Off for Arshavin. 5
RVP – Good goal again .Individually he is doing great for himself but just can’t get the team to do the same.6
SUBSTITUTES
Arshavin – Brought life into the game. Clearly need s to start. On for Theo. N/A
Chamakh- Still doesn’t take a shot himself but was a good target man. Helps his teammates but need s to focus on himself more. Lacks that hunger for goal which Hernandez has . N/A
Ramsey- N/A
MATCH RATINGS : Tottenham Hotspur FC vs Arsenal FC
As we dropped more points and slipped into 3rd, lets take a look at how the players fared in the North London Derby…
Szczesny- His inexperience gave away the penalty. Made some brilliant saves though and cleared any danger confidently… 7
Sagna- Kept Bale quiet throughout the first half. Where was he when Lennon was through on goal ?? 6
DJ- Some rash tackles by him though he put in some towering headers. A mixed performance. 6
Kosher- Good game for him. Kept things simple and didn’t rush into challenges like he usually does….6.5
Clichy- Tidy defensively. Caught in possession sometimes but recovered well. Nothing attack wise…. 6
Diaby- Arsenal looked more in control when he played in my opinion. Taken off due to injury. 7
Song- Good game for the Cameroonian. Kept it simple and closed down well. 6.5
Cesc- Finally started taking matters into his own hands with some fierce shooting. Great link up play with Nasri as well. 7
Nasri- MOTM for me. Brilliant goal and some fantastic passing with his teammates… 7.5
Theo- Brilliant goal in the beginning. Did well to pick out RVP for our third as well but faded out as the game progressed..7 (because of his contribution to the goals)
RVP- Seems to have lost some spark but that doesn’t stop him from scoring does it ? Overall a decent showing but he is capable of much more. 6.5
Subs-
AA23- NA
Nikko- Still don’t understand why we deploy him on the wing. On for Nasri..NA
Wilshere- Got attention to himself for the wrong reasons, some tidy passing but no significant contribution from him. On for Diaby. 5.5
Match Ratings- Arsenal FC vs Liverpool FC
Written By- IKD
Match ended 1-1 if you missed it.
Szczesny(boy his name is a bane to bloggers)- Did everything right. Could do nothing about the penalty. Spilled a shot from a Suarez shot but nothing came of it . 7
Eboue- Went forward many a times and always provided a channel to attack from. Got conned by that cheat Lucas and gave the penalty away. Maybe he shouldnt have hustled him so much (reminds me a about the Toure- Babel incident in the UCl quarter finals) . 3
Djourou- Didnt do anything wrong on his comeback. Glad to see him back. Did have a few mix ups with Kosher . 7
Kosher-Same as DJ apart from the comeback. Hit the bar from a great effort (header) from a corner.7
Clichy- defensively was brilliant. Gave good support to Nasri as well . 7.5
Diaby- No penetration from the lanky midfielder though was good on the ball in tight situations. Subbed off for Song. 6
Wilshere- A rare off day for the talented Englishman today. 5
Cesc- Got the penalty. Mixed performance with some great passes and some frustrating ones. 6.5
Nasri- Great in possession but lacked that edged at times. Great pass to pick out Rvp would be the highlight of his game. 6.5
Walcott- Should have done better playing against a rookie in Robinson (promising talent). Gave some great crosses in the first period and was looking menacing but faded away. Subbed for Arshavin.5
RVP- Great penalty as you expect from the Dutchman. Mixed game for him as well .Missed an opportunity to put Arsenal ahead went put through by Nasri. 7
Substitutes
Nikko- Didn’t offer much to the game. Still wonder why he was playing wide and rvp central when clearly he is the larger and the better one at converting crosses. 5
Arshavin- Tried but to no avail .( Surprisingly won the ball back for us a number of times and quite admirably.) 5
Song- Panicked too much in the end to give away the free kick but this is a 6 yr old problem with most of our players. N/A
The Cup Parameter…
Afternoon Gooners,
How have you all been ? Just came back from work so here’s a bit of catching up. We beat Stoke yesterday, so the deficit has now been cut to 1 point. Personally, I was really happy when the ref blew his whistle as now, well at least I hope, the pressure shall be on Manure.
Anyway, this weekend is a big one for us, and you all know why. We visit Wembley for the Carling Cup Final, and honestly I am a bit tensed about it. So here I am, trying to get my mind over it.
Would you wait for something more in the future and not win the Cup this weekend ?
Here are a few conditions that you should know :
- It may be us getting a top class player.
- It may be us winning another trophy this season.
- The future is not restricted to this season.
Now I know I sound a bit vague in this question, but I can’t help it. I won’t get pissed off if you dislike but avoid the rough treatment because that does not sound good of you, and it makes this blog look bad. Its just an attempt to get my mind of Sunday afternoon, so don’t blame me !
Guns-out,
THE ARMOURY
PS: I will post my answer tomorrow when I publish the “Tactical Preview of the Final.”
Player ratings : Arsenal FC vs FC BARCELONA
Szczesny : Bloody brilliant is all I can say about this boy. He made himself big when there was any trouble, and he saved when required. He was helpless for the goal. Keep it up mate…..8
Clichy : Was at fault for the goal, but made up for it with a superb lob to RVP. He took on whatever came his way well, but should be more careful while going up….7
DJ : No nonsense from him. He cleared when he had, and he tracked back when required…..6.5
Kosher : My Star of the defence today. He grabbed the Messi by his horns, and he dealt with whatever came his way…..8
Eboue : This guy needs to be careful while going up. I know he has not had alot of experience playing with this team, but we can’t help it. He defended well, but while attacking gave the ball away too many times…..6
Jack : I’ll keep my mouth shut about this guy. To take on FC Barcelona at his age, not many can do ( I know I sound like Yoda) Andi f you saw him play today, I don’t think he saw any difference against Barca or wolves. He was superb. As usual I cannot rate him, be case whatever I give him will be too less.
Song : Unlucky to get booked so early. He should calm down a bit. Otherwise everything is fine and dandy with the guy…6
Cesc : Under par for most of the match and only showed his real self in glimpses. Brilliant ball to find Nasri…7
Nasri : He has just come back from injury so it’s a bit unfair to give him an average rating. BUT the guy was aware for most of the match. He helped Clichy, he made superb runs forward, and he was the one who found Arshavin for the winner……7.5
Theo : Quiet game for the English-man….5
RVP : The new Maicon ! What a goal. He showed the true instinct of a poacher, and was up for it always. Even when we did not have possession of the ball….9
Nikko : N/A
Arshavin : After all the crap the guy has taken for his form. He enters the pitch and scores the winner against FC Barcelona. He helped out Clichy when required, and you cannot blame him for the “head-handball” to Szczesny. The guy is short, he tried his best….8.5
Guns-out,
The Armoury
PS: put your mouse over the pic !
Match Ratings : Arsenal FC vs Wolves FC
Here are ze match Ratings, hope you like them – Jose Mourinho
Szczesny : Was he playing ?……..N/A
Sagna: Provided the wingback dimension and also did his defensive duties responsibly…6.5
Kosher: Did his defensive duties well, and covered for Clichy when required….7
DJ: good to see him back after this week’s scare in the newspapers. He defended well and responsibly. Covered Kosher whenever he needed to….7.5
Clichy: Here what I observed about Gael today. If he goes up 5 times, he comes back 4 times. Other than that he dealt with whatever Wolves threw at him….6
Jack: MOTM: I cannot rate him because he was so good. The guy was everywhere, defense and attack. On certain occasions he was like a shadow gliding through Wolves. Theo should have scored and got the lad an assist….N/A
Song: Defend, add some passes to the attack and retrieve the ball when it’s lost. A normal day in the life of Alex Song…..6
Cesc: Business as usual from our captain. He played some lovely balls to Theo, and his cross for the first goal was immaculate. Defended when required, and covered his fellow mates when he had to……8.5
Arshavin: The Russian is working back onto his old self. He played well today, and tracked back too. Something he usually doesn’t do…7
RVP: Another brace for the Dutchman. Both goals were classy, although he former was better. Keep it up mate. ….9.5
Theo: he tormented the Wolves defence, after Flash gave him his powers. At time she was superb. He should have at least scored 1 today, and I yet have no idea how he missed the goal after Jack played him through…..8
Substitutes are not applicable, although Nikko should be less selfish at times.
Guns-out,
THE ARMOURY
Match Ratings-Arsenal Fc vs Huddersfield Town
WRITTEN BY: IKD
Almunia- A brilliant and composed performance from him taking into consideration that he had a bunch of loonies as Centre Backs and the fact that he is coming back after a long time. Made a fine save in the second half and couldn’t be blamed for the goal we conceded. Showed good presence in the box as well and looked more confident. 8(motm for me though you may say Cesc deserved it )
Gibbs- Poor overall .Out of place too many times. Was nowhere in sight made Hunt made his Dazzling run. 4
Kosher- No presence in the box and couldn’t handle the physicality of the Terriers. 5
Squillaci- Got sent off in the first half after a cynical foul on Hunt.2
Eboue- the only one in the defence who showed up today.made some good runs and crosses .However seems to always mess up in the final third.6
Denilson- Frustrating throughout the game. the terriers were treating him like a cat. Miss passing,getting bullied and no creativity dominated his game today.4
Arshavin- Improving hisform.Faded in some phases of the game but looked our most creative and dangerous player out there. Made a fantastic defensive tackle to deny the terriers a certain goal.Just shows the commitments levels are increasing. 7.5
Nasri- Pulled his hammy.Subbed for Rosicky.Lets just hope he is fit as soon as possible.
Diaby- Nothing productive in the game.Will take time because he is just back from injury.Off for Cesc.5
Chamakh- Assisted Bendtner for our first goal .May have handled the ball while controlling it though we have seen similiar cases pardonable. Taken off after the first half for Song to cover for Squillaci.6
Bendtner- scored the first goal which was a bit fortuitous as their was a clear deflection off the defender.Missed sitters as usual but improved after Cesc was brought on. Won the penalty.7
SUBSTIUTES:
Rosicky- On for Nasri.great on the ball and was continously fouled. Gave a brilliant throughball to Arshavin which he failed to convert. a decent performance but needs to step it up for a starting place.6
Cesc- Changed the game for the gunners. Gave us that spine we lacked throughout the game.Truly a Captain’s performance.Scored the winner by the converting the pen and played a massive role in getting it.8
Song-On for Squillaci to cover the defence. Didnt perform well aerially but he is not a centre back hence the alibi.5
Match Ratings : Arsenal FC VS Wigan FC
Well Gooners another fantastic result for us. Well done to everybody.
Crowd- 6 -Seriously be Louder. Your not a bunch of fat cats going for a cricket match, and I bet you all pay probably the highest ticket prices !
Szczesny- Nothing much to do .
Sagna- Continuing his good form even after his suspension. Was tidy at the back and great going forward with some brilliant crosses and link up play with Theo. – 8
DJ- Good on the ball. Never had any problems at the back except for the instance when Di Santo got a header. – 7
Kosher- Same as Dj. However was every good with at winning possession at the middle of the park today be it ground or aerial balls. – 7
Clichy- Tidy play at the back. Won the ball brilliantly on numerous occasions. Kept Nzogbia tamed. – 8
Song- Great performance from the Cameroonian. Great on the ball both attacking and defensively. Great pass for the first goal. Brilliantly picked out Cesc which led to the Penalty. – 8
Wilshere- Tidy and neat . Good on the ball. Made some brilliant runs and kept feeding the forward line. Increased Arsenal’s momentum when they looked a bit casual at the beginning of the second half. - 7
Fabregas- Fantastic passing. Brilliant ball for our second. He was in the centre of every attack. Won the penalty as well. Seriously deserved a goal today. Keep it up Le Capitan . – 8.5
Nasri- Kept the midfield ticking. Great on the ball as always. Tracked back when needed to and was a constant channel for Arsenal’s attack. Should have got a goal. - 7.5
Theo- Great commitment shown by the Englishman today. Kept running and chasing down his wing, a constant threat to the Wigan defence. Put some great crosses in as well which is good to see. Provided the assist for the our third. – 7.5
RVP – Well, he missed a penalty ( it happens to the best of footballers) , hit the post and scored a hat-trick. We are delighted he is back (touchwood ) and leading the front line. – 9
Substitutes :
Denilson- On for Cesc. Made a brilliant tackle in whatever time he got to play.
Arshavin- N/A. On for Nasri.
Chamakh- N/A On for RVP
Cheers,
THE ARMOURY
Match Ratings : West Ham United vs Arsenal FC
Szczesny – 6…His save in the 22nd minute was really crucial as a goal for West ham at that point could have changed the entire scenario of the match. Other than that nothing much bothered the Pole.
Eboue – 6…Here is why I am not giving this guy some more. The problem with him is that he can deal with balls in front of his man, but when the ball is played behind him, he is not that alert. Song and Theo had to cover up from him quite alot of times. However, he did do well for a makeshift RB.
Djourou – 5…He had some difficulty in coping with Carlton Cole, and his blunder in the 22nd min could have cost us to give away a clean sheet.
Kosher – 6…A silent fellow through-out the entire game, he just did his job – the mark of a true professional.
Clichy – 6.5…His crossing is really inconsistent, and today was not in any way different. He defended well in most occasions, and cleared the ball when he had to. His support on the attacking front was also good. A nice game for the french-man.
Song – 7.5…He helped out Eboue, whenever required and at the same time attacked well. He is improving in every game [touch-wood] and lets all hope this continues.
Jack – 7.5…Almost got us a 4th in the 88th min. He distributed the ball well, won the ball back and pressed whenever he could. Kudos mate !
Cesc – 8… What can I say about Cesc. He kept the midfield going and pressed whenever required. His vision and final ball to pick up players is marvellous. Although he did not give any assists today, he was one big reason for our victory.
Nasri – 8…He was the reason we got our first goal. He was the reason we could maintain our tempo, and lastly he is the reason Cesc can afford to relax for sometime. He pitched in to help the defenders once in a while, and also had Clichy back when required.
Theo – 8.5…This guy provided us with pace when we attacked. He earned us a penalty, and he provided an assist for RVP. Oh, lets not forget his goal, which if I may add he showed the exact instinct of a poacher. What he can do is to improve his crossing some more, and to try and keep his composure. In the 18th min, we could have got a goal when he was 1-v-1 with Green but the guy got too tensed. But overall, he really played well and had a good game.
RVP – 10…I just hope he does not get injured [touch-wood]. . He provided an assist for Theo and was clinical in front of goal – his penalty was superb and so was his first finish. He even hit the post. Keep it up mate !
Subs:
Denilson – N/A
Arshavin -N/A
Gibbs – N/A
Cheers,
THE ARMOURY
MATCH RATINGS – BIRMINGHAM CITY FC VS ARSENAL FC
Written By : IKD
Alright !!! What a way to kick start 2011. Little sloppy in the first half, but our performance in the second will certainly shake Barca up..
Luke – No nonsense from him. Came when he needed to and made some great catches. Made a great save against a Larsson free kick to keep the Gunners in the lead. Did’nt get bullied and was overall , excellent . 8
Sagna – Held his own on his flank and was watertight. Offensively effective as well linking up with the midfielders brilliantly. Took alot of crap from that weasel of a Bowyer as well who really should have seen red. 7.5
DJ- Brilliant defensive display from DJ. Hardly lost an aerial assault and dealted well with the aerial Birmingham threat. 8
Kosher- Still not good enough aerially but he is quite good partnering Dj. Did the basic stuff right. Needs to get stronger to deal with the physical aspect of the game better. 6.5
Clichy- Did not run up too much pointlessly. Dealt with the threat down his flank effectively…7
Song – Had a hard time dealing with the Aerial assault during Birmingham’s set pieces but otherwise a great game. Hassled the Blues in midfield not giving them a moments piece. Linked up the play offensively as well with some creative runs and passing… 7.5
Wilshere- Hardworking, energetic, creative and tenacious. What a future awaits this lad as long he does not stray to the Dark side. Looks way more mature then his age. May the force be with you laddy !… 7 (subbed off for Denilson)
Cesc- Fantastic performance from the Captain. His shot lead to the third goal and the build up to it was mesmerising. As said before he was just brilliant with Nasri. On an individual aspect, well a performance worthy of his reputation. 8.5
Nasri-MOTM for me. Initially began slowly but just grew into the game in geometric proportion. Just fantastic on the ball, hardly losing possession, brilliant passing ,creativity and a wonderful finish to give us the two goal cushion we needed. Who says he andCesc cannot play together ? They were telepathic today, a worthy match for Xavi and Iniesta… 9
Walcott- Made some great runs and opened the game up for the Gunners. Some great crosses as well and was a thorn to Ridgewell. Covered well for Sagna as well…. 7.5 (Off for Arshavin)
RVP- Missed a sitter, mis-controlled the ball which would have lead to a sitter BUT you got to say that the Gunners do play with alot of more flair when he is playing. Scored the first goal from a free kick (dubious) which was fortutious. Could have given a penalty to the home side as well. 6.5
SUBSTITUTES
Andrey- Fantastic passing. Worked hard as well, clearly fighting for his place in the team.
Denilson- N/A
Cheer-i-o,
THE ARMOURY
ARSENAL ARE UP FOR IT, BUT HOW ABOUT THEIR MANAGER ?
Alright, so we ****’d up at the DW stadium, and in all honesty we lost yet another opportunity to gain ground on United. Now before you guys read this post, let me tell you, that neither am I angry at the players of Arsenal nor at their approach. But if I am angry it’s about the fact that the person who manages the team has seriously made some ridiculous decisions…
Wenger as we Arsenal fans know him is the reason for the clubs success in terms of management, and financial health. He has a master’s degree in economics, and another degree in electrical engineering. He is known for building up teams, and developing players. He also known for encouraging youth in Football. But if you ask me personally, I don’t feel the guy really knows a lot about tactics as compared to Mourinho, Guardiola, or even for that matter SAF.
You see, most of us have an idea of who to play where, and where to play whom. Before the game you can picture the pitch in front of you, the formation starts forming in your head, and you know which-which players go where. Clichy left-back, Djourou Cb, so-an-so forth. But in all honesty that’s not enough is it. I mean sometimes you just have to tell some players that you have to do this and this, you know define each players role in the game. For eg. One can tell Song to sit in the middle of the park, and defend, one can tell Nasri to play on the right, and track back to help Sagna etc. Now lets back to the crux of the article..
Firstly, I don’t understand why AW played a different team, yeah he did give us an explanation, but that was a really-really sad excuse. United and Chelsea played the same teams and even they had an interval of 48 hours between them. Now I would even understand this logic if we played at home where the fans can get behind the players if they falter. But no, AW decided to choose a team with 8 changes. Yeah, of course you will require some amount of changes, and nobody’s arguing with you, but 8 changes. I yet don’t know who our CB partnership will be, but as far as I can see it should not be the ones we played yesterday ! We should have just played the usual formation of 4-2-3-1, with Diaby and Jack/Denilson in the sweeper roles, and Nasri upfront. The right-wing should have been occupied by Theo, and the left by Arshavin. Upfront one could choose between RVP and MC29, but I’d go for the former. The defense should have been kept in tact as the one we played against Chelsea.
Now whats done is done, so we were leading at half-time. At this point, I really don’t understand why the boss never made any changes, I mean Jack had already come on, so all he had to do is take of Nikko, and put in RVP, and replace TR7 and Eboue with Nasri, and Theo. Lets all face it, these guys really make up the Arsenal team, and while we led 2-1 at half-time, they could have come on and really make a difference. We could have sealed the match, if these guys were brought on sooner.
You see, I’m a Gooner, and I have alright to get pissed, and so do you. Now there are some situations in which mangers get their tactics completely wrong, and we all know there are….for eg. The tactics which SAF used against Barcelona in the UCL final, or the ones which Mourinho used against Guardiola, but the flaw in yesterdays game was not in a tactical sense, but just simple sense and logic. You will never see managers like SAF, Mouriho make such stupid mistakes. Are Arsenal players very weak, that they can’t play 2 matches in a span of 3 days, when United and Chelsea players, who if I may add are “not youthful,” can do it. Is the side inexperienced that they cannot handle 2 matches in 3 days. Nobody is asking you to play the same team, but just 1 or 2 changes, maximum 3 should do it. Yeah, some of you will say we have the Carling Cup next month, but that’s against Ipswich, so who are we kidding. Yesterday’s team should have been played against Ipswich incase players had to be given a rest. Our FA Cup tie is against Leeds, United Clash with Liverpool, and we with Leeds. So even if the matches are played 1 day after another, the boss should have enough fire-power to go through to the next rounds of these respective cups. Sometimes its AW’s tactics which make us lose points, and sometimes this, God whats next???
It’s yet another opportunity gone, another one. I mean, come on…we can be compared to the fat-kid who is trying to climb the stairs and stumbles every few steps. I mean its like AW equalizes whatever he has done for us outside the pitch with whatever he has done inside in the last few years. Now I’m not being negative as I sincerely belive that we can win and do really well this year. I will never lose faith in my club, and truthfully whatever I have written are facts about the club. We are not playing well, due to some stupid decisions by our manager. No I am not going to call for sacking Wenger, because that is not the solution. If you thought this article is about sacking the guy, then buzz off, because what AW has done is not measurable, its like that damn MasterCard ad: Priceless..
I am pissed at my managers decisions, and as a Gooner I have all right to be, I believe in my team, and shall never lose faith in Arsenal. But if you ask me about my manager, ”its a different situation altogether”…[ in a tactical sense ].
Cheer-i-o
THE ARMOURY
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW : WIGAN VS ARSENAL
Well firstly, I’d like to say I’m sorry I didn’t come out with a post on the Wigan game. In all honesty, I was so pissed that I had lost all the will to write. Anyway, I’m back so lets just get to the analysis:
Wigan scored in the 18th min due to a ridiculous decision made by the blind oaf with 2 cards! Watson scores, and we are 1-0 nil down..brilliant.
Time went on, and we finally got back ourselves into the game thanks to a wonder goal by Andrey. Funny, when he plays well we call him Andrey, and when he ****’s up we call him Arshavin. The guy was back 5 mins later when he left defenders for dead and scrambled a pass to Nikko, who I don’t know how, got through two defenders to slot home…..1-2 to the Arsenal.
Thus the half-ended with us leading. When we came out of half-time, it was a real funny half. Alcatraz almost did the Diaby at OT, and Chamakh should have slotted home the ball from a corner kick. His header was inches of wide, and had already left Al-Habsi dumbstruck !
Then when Charles got sent-off for doing the Zizou on Jack, he got the red. Sadly, it was after that that Squillaci scored in the wrong direction thus making the game even with 10 minutes to go.
With minutes left on the clock, Arsenal were rewarded a free-kick just outside the box, but James McArthur damn hands blocked the French-mans free kick, the outcome being no penalty rewarded.
“I had to change the team – with all these matches we cannot play always with the same team – but I don’t think that was a problem at all.
It was odd to see why AW started with a team with 8 changes. I don’t understand the reason, because United, and Chelsea also had games 48 hours earlier and even they stared with almost the same team, the only change being park being ruled out because of the Asian Cup. Is it because Arsenal players are weak, I guess we shall never know.
I felt that atleast RVP should have started as he produced a wonderful performance against Chelsea, or at least the boss should have brought on these players at half-time: Nasri, Theo
In all honesty, I was really disappointed with the result as I really did expect us to get 3 points at the DW stadium yesterday. Anyway,whats done is done, so I guess lets look forward to next year where we start of at Hell-gate St. Andrews
Cheers,
THE ARMOURY
