Tuesday 9 August 2011

Season 2011-2012 Preview

To be honest at the moment, It doesn't look good does it.

After what happened last season, and the season before, Oh, and the season before that, this year was time for a little change. It kind of has...

I mean earlier on we had strong sources of Samba and Cahill at least on the way to Arsenal but died down after a while. The season starts Saturday and we are no way ready. It's all well buying players for a great price but i feel it is more important for the players to gel in pre season and have time to adapt to the club, we have not left enough time for this who every we buy from now until the end of the window.  We do need another defender no question, Clichy leave for a place on a bench all season for lots of money, and only Gibbs to cover that. I love Gibbs but every time he played he got injured so makes no sense to loose Clichy. Do we put Vermaelen on the left? I say no, it weakens our centre backs thats a big mistake. No other real replacement is there for when Gibbs is injured. Worrying.
Gervinho looks great and like people have been saying, takes the pressure off of RvP. But as every player we shall see how they really play when they play in the Premier League.
Chambelain, as many people have been arguing could be a good addition. At 17 he has a long way to go but when we've seen and herd we can give him some game time and hopefully nick a few important goals, one to watch this year.

Cesc and Nasri will stay I am fully confident of it. Wenger will look at it as all or nothing this season as Nasri look to leave for free at the end of this season. I find it so selfish and disrespectful to all of us the way it all been going on. If none of it was true Nasri should say so and make a public statement. Why would he let it carry on and make us fans hate him?
I believe Cesc is "Torn between the two clubs he loves" Meaning think of it from his point of view his childhood club is the best club in the world, winning everything and playing great football at the same time. Hey if they wanted me I'd say hell yeah! At the same time he loves Arsenal he is captain, he developed here, he became a star here, he is loved by everyone at the club. He wants to win something at Arsenal every time we have been close we have failed. In the back of his mind he must be thinking I've got to move to Spain soon before I miss out winning something altogether but can't leave Arsenal without lifting something. I feel his pain but again he is not helping the situation.

Realistically at this stage of the season 3rd would be a great result but i fear 4th is what we will end up with. Im thinking the FA Cup will be ours this year and the Semi Final of the Champions League will wait us but no final.

More soon

goduffgo

Friday 3 June 2011

Arsenal end of season review 2010-2011

What a sour end to the season, After beating Chelsea and Barcelona I think we expected better than 4th place and embarrassment at Wembley.

So what happened?

1-1 at the start of the season at Anfield is not so bad but a red card to a debut player and a goal conceded at the near post wasn't the greatest start. Obviously it was shadowed Reina's flop. This made our goalkeeping shambles less of a bother for a little while annoyingly.

Games like our 1-1 draw with Sunderland are games that we need to stop happening next season otherwise it will be worse than 4th next year. Fabregas scoring in the 12th minute and us not killing the game off with Rosicky missing a pen, Sunderland as like every other team this season from this position scores in the last kick of the game.

Sandwiched between two horrific matches being Sunderland and W.B.A. On the 21st September (My birthday I shall add) we played a great match Vs Spurs. Very exciting and extra time adding drama, we need not have worries about extra time as the matched finished 4-1 and our only win Vs Spurs.

So on to Chelsea. The usual match we have against the top teams, all on top and looking great but ultimately loosing with a flop.
Shakhtar Donetsk was a real highlight in the Champions League a 5-1 win and Eduardo scoring (6-0 really) was a great bonus. What a way to say goodbye.
Nasri continues his fine form with a goal Vs Birmingham and away to Manchester City, The City game was very important and the early sending off did help. We did play well and managed to withstand a little pressure and our penalty miss.

November, always a horrible month for Arsenal. Defeat to Shakhtar and Newcastle starts the month going and a good win Vs Everton slightly takes the nastily edge off, until we played Spurs. First half brilliant! Nasri again with an amazing goal, 2-0 at half time and looking great. To then loose 2-3 is unbelievable, mentally it's not helping us to see games to the end.
2 late goals for Braga in the Champions League meant having to win Vs Partizan Belgrade to be sure to Qualify. This adds so much unnecessary pressure, we need to learn next season to see it through till it's done and dead!
The end of November saw us win at Villa and at home to Wigan. The Villa game showed we can score when we need to but makes no difference on the season as we didn't do it enough.

So in to December and a very important month.
We beat Partizan Belgrade 3-1 after a nervy affair and it saw us qualify 2nd. Roll on Barcelona.
A very usual disappointing loss against United at Old Trafford but great for Szeczesny to start in goal and to show us he's good enough.
After a break and a nice Christmas, Boxing day was the cherry! What a performance! To be honest there could have been a few times were Chelsea could have scores and would have be the same story to any other recent meeting, we held strong and Song got the goal. After half time we got the vital 2nd goal and that was that 3-1 in the end and should have set us off to winning something.
But it didn't. Dropping points at Wigan made all the difference to confidence and after the great win Vs Chelsea, we are right back where we were before. Tut.

A busy new year winning away at Birmingham then our stupid 0-0 draw with Manchester City (millions of pounds worth of player to stand behind the ball all match) after that Leeds in the FA Cup winning an unneeded, but lucky replay.
A poor performance at Ipswich led to a 0-1 loss in a semi-final we should have walked. We didn't they had fight and it surprised us. This shouldn't happen. But from here on our form really picked up, 3-0 at West Ham, 3-1 in the replay at Leeds and 3-0 home to Wigan. Que 2nd leg of the Carling Cup Semi-final, nervy until the 60th. Patent and controlling and we finally got to Wembley.
We end January with a scrappy win over Huddersfield, at least it wasn't a replay.

February, Everton's offside goal wasn't enough as we beat them 2-1 and could have been a title winning moment.
Newcastle was a different story, 4-0 up at half time, then Poor refereeing, with Diaby not thinking and just utter self destruction made the biggest comeback in the Premier League. 4-4, unbelievable.
Robin Van Persie continuing to score goals gets all of them in a 2-0 win over Wolves, which then led to a two horse race for the title Vs United.
Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona feels good don't it?
Another great performance our heads didn't drop and that's the reward we get. Stunning game and what an atmosphere! Why oh why can't we keep that up every game, look how it motivated the players. The crowed has to take blame for some of the nervy games we play at home.
After playing that game we had an easy tie in the FA Cup away to Layton Orient. It didn't go so well. After scoring in the 53rd minute we gave a cheap goal away that went underneath Almunia in the 88th. We love doing it the hard way...
Fabregas goes off injured Vs Stoke on the Wednesday before the Carling Cup final with a difficult and nervy 1-0 win.
So Wembley time for us to grab our first piece of silverware since 2005. We must have all thought we won it before kick off or at least the players thought they did. Going down 0-1 and a lot of flapping Robin Van Persie saved us with a lovely volley inside the box. 2nd half Birmingham looked very tired and it was ours for the taking. 89th minute yes the 89th, ball in to the Arsenal box a call from Szczesny and Koscielny retreats his foot which bounced off the goalkeepers chest in to the path of Martins to tap it in to the back of the net. Wow what a blow and it's all down hill from here...

March was our ultimate killer we said goodbye to the Champions League and the FA Cup also denting our League hopes as we went on.
An easy 5-0 win in the FA Cup replay should have happened in the first game was our only win in this month. Saturday we drew 0-0 at home to Sunderland and missed out on being a point behind United.
Going to Barcelona was always going to be tricky we did OK in the first half shame to go 0-1 down after a mistake from Fabregas but a silly yellow card for Van Persie didn't help the absurd second yellow card for shooting a second after the whistle blew for offside, 10 men we didn't stand a chance, even when they gifted us an own goal from a corner. The game ended 1-3.
Next was a trip to Old Trafford for the FA Cup again we played well if we were as clinical as United are we would have been at Wembley again. So a disappointing 0-2 loss and another exit to a competition.
Just the League now and from 0-2 down at W.B.A. didn't look great but a good comeback to 2-2 kept our title hopes alive, just.

April now and United came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at West Ham, we needed a win but Blackburn had other plans and another massively nervy home game finished 0-0
Away to Blackpool we welcomed back Jens Lehmann to goal after an injury to Almunia and won 3-1 to just keep the title alive.
Liverpool next and after 90 minutes of nothing and the crowd on the players backs we got a last minute penalty that saved us from another draw at home. Oh wait, no it didn't. In the 101st minute we drew. Eboue conceded a silly penalty and that was that.
Going to Spurs to keep any hope alive and for them to keep 4th place alive set up a great match, 2-1 12 minutes great start to the game. We grabbed another goal in the 40th but let another 2 goal lead slip and it finished 3-3. Disappointing but a lovely game of football.
A 1-2 loss at Bolton and that was that mathematically still in it but it was never going to be likely.

1st May grabbed our 1st win over United for a while, it means nothing for us this season but will boost our confidence for the players to go out and beat them again next year so a small tactical victory maybe.
Our 1-3 loss at Stoke killed it all and another year of nothing, the 1-2 defeat at our last home game to Villa was a very bitter occasion and we end the season drawing 2-2 a Fulham, one little bonus was Robin Van Persie's run scoring away from goal, let's see if he can keep it up next year. The guy is our only legend playing for us I feel. He's loyal and loves the club you never see Robin with a Fabregas or Nasri type story. He says he is staying and that it that. No umms or ahhs just to the point. I love his loyalty I just wish some other players followed. I guess it's rare these days unfortunately.

Anyway Arsenal, the only team to finish 4th in a two horse race...

Monday 15 November 2010

What a differance a week makes!

What a differance a week makes!

It's funny, Loosing against Newcastle 0-1 and an 8 point gap between the leaders Chelsea just one week ago, now we are standing 2 points behind and 4/1 odds to win the league.

We haven't even played that well and for me it's all the more rewarding when we do win. It shows the players have such belief in themselves and the team, its almost scary we haven't won anything in so many years!

Spurs will be a great test for us and I'm really looking forward to it, the pressure will mount on Chelsea and although it's most likely they will win their next match we play first, and if we win not only will we go top, Chelsea could falter and we could stay there!

Now on to Bendtner and in a way I do feel he has a point, but he's not going the right way about it. Yes he's not starting any games but why should we at the moment? He need to prove he can play constantly. Marouane Chamakh has been great so why should we replace him at the moment? I do rate Bendtner but if there's another player on form I'll pick him over anyone.

Wednesday 10 November 2010

2010-2011 Season so far

So I have mixed views on this years season, just after the lost at home to Newcastle it does leave me and other fellow Arsenal fans a little flat. This is definitely the case at the moment. Here I will point out the good and the bad of our season so far as they are defiantly lots of positives too!

First off I'd like to say I'm very happy Rosicky has finaly got rid of his injury plagued Arsenal career and is playing and available, people may disagree but I think he's a vital player for Arsenal, his movement, passing and attitude makes the team so much more fluid. Everytime he comes off the bench the team play very well, and comming off the bench for him is certainly better than starting and getting injured.

As I am on the subject of players Samir Nasri has been phenomenal just the drive we have needed for a while and he and the team are benefiting alot by it! Jack Wilshere has come from being a good prospect for the future kid, to important member on the first team squad. He's 18 and that says it all really, his partnership with Fabregas will be a big part of the future for this team.

So let's talk a little about the bad, injuries are always a problem and this year it's same old. Loosing Vermaelen so far has been a big blow no question, and would love to say our defence can cope but I still see problems and mistakes. Now a red card for Koscielny we are down to bare roots, it's not helping the situation.
Going back to injuies and I think we all (if your not worried already) have to worry about Fabregas. Well his Hamstring. One game out a month because of this injury is going to hert us alot now and in the future!

Just a quick look on goalkeepers now and oh dear oh dear, Fabianski calmed my fears of goalkeeping errors lately but everyone knew a mistake was overdue. You can blame it on over-confidence but it shouldn't happen regularly like it does. I'll prey for a good signing this winter...

Roll on Wolves tonight, it will be alot of hard work.

Sunday 18 October 2009

Best Arsenal Memory?

I'll set this one up for you lot to comment on, I know i don't have many viewers and much love to people who will plug this site!

This week im after your best Arsenal childhood memory,

For me 2000-2006 was my best moments as I was at an age at school were I was old enough to play propper football and know the ins and outs of the game. So I have quite a few tales, what i loved the most in that time was I did'nt have Sky Sports at my house, my parants did'nt have the need for it (they could'nt afford it) so if i went to anyones house with Sky Sports I'd make friends with them quick! Anyway one of my good friends and an Arsenal fan anyway and he did have Sky Sports, so everyweek it would be round his for a spot of FIFA, we'd get an appitite to play so we'd go out side rain or shine and start playing. 12:45, 15:00, 17:45 would come and we'd sit inside to watch the football come half time we'd be out there playing again copying all Henry's moves and boasting how many more he'd score today. Back in for the rest of the match and after the end of the game keep playing football till it got dark and then I would go home. Ready for next week.

During that time I got a taste of Highbury, My first match was Vs Sunderland in the "Worthington Cup" lost 2-3 after we were 2-0 up, I was in the Clockend directly infront of Pires's volly to make it 1-0, that was also a great memory. After that i saw Arsenal Vs Oxford United in the FA Cup, Our new nextdoor neighbours had a season ticket for Arsenal and they couldnt make it so me and my Dad went. The seats were amazing East Stand upper 1 seat behind the VIP area. We won 2-0 if i remember. But the big story was Bergkamps 100th goal for Arsenal. Then in the same seat Arsenal vs Aston Villa Campbell and Henry scored for a 2-0 win in that game.

Now 2002 Manchester United V Arsenal now this is my most loved memory, now for some reason I could'nt get to his house that night so I ended up putting on Radio 5 Live! in my small bedroom and had to settle kicking a foam ball around whilst biting my nails about the match. I remember i so wanted us to win the match (obviously) but to win the league at Old Trafford and bragging the next day would be amazing! All I got from the radio was that tense moment as Arsenal were on the attack and it was looking good i've never been so still before in my life, and then to hear we scored it was amazing! It was the most I've ever celebrated a goal! I had no idea till the next day that Wiltord atually scored and not Ljungberg!

Well theres mine whats yours?

Post Match: Birmingham

Arsenal 3-1 Birmingham

Good! Another win with a few top four losses the same day! After watching a Chelsea on Sky Sports 1 bombarding Aston Villa only to make two vital defending errors seemed very welcoming. Yes they are our rivals and it's a massive boost for everyone that the now favorites slipped up again, but we have the same problem in defending that kind of ball. Take a look today as Mannone flapped at the ball and yes it went in. We proved last game we could come back from behind but being 2-0 up then 2-1 and just before we killed the game off a massive chance for Birmingham for 2-2. But thankfully that never happened and we did win.
Also as i just said "killed the game off" that what was exactly what we are getting used to doing this season, I know we should had done at Old Trafford but...well lets not get into that shall we!
Theres always going to be good an bad things to chat about but so far its going good we are keeping up the pace next test will be the Spurs game on the 31st the rest of the games before hand we should have won. I still think we will beat Spurs, it will be a good battle and will surly give the players a lift after. The midweek Carling Cup game Vs Liverpool will be interesting I hope the "Young Guns" are on form.

Now i do have a thing to say about the Liverpool game too. Now im pretty sure the rules do state that if the ball is hit by an object not associated with the pitch, it should be a drop ball. But they gave it anyway and in all fairness it was a Liverpool fan that punched it on the pitch in the first place but still. Should'nt the offishals know the rules? (and now this morning in Sky Sports News just confirmed what I said!)
Oh and i fully agree we should have video comfirmation for goals or any controversial decision in play just so we will have no complaints what so ever!

Anyway back to the match and Theo's injured again. It was a horrible challenge and i am very angry about it as those are the tackles that will injure the likes of RvP, Arshavin, or even Cesc for a couple of months and as a result, have a run of poor performances. You can't expect other teams to stop a strong approach against Arsenals game, it does prooves effective...sometimes! We need some injury "resistant" players who can just pick up the player that tried to break his leg and lob him across the pitch!! With that said Vieria springs to mind and we have still won nothing without him. Im not saying we need him back we need a stong player in the middle to boss the game.
Well Theos under going a scan and we'll find out soon how bad it is.

I'll edit on this post a bit more later,
goduffgo

Wednesday 7 October 2009

First Arsenal View

Hey guys

Well I'd thought I'd start a blog of my opinions on football as an Arsenal fan. It's the international break so we have over a week till the clubs carry on; there's never anything interesting going on except rubbish news like certain players are unhappy at their clubs and want to leave for City for a thousand pounds an hour rate, or who's the next person to crash their brand new luxury car!!
Quickly chat about other clubs now as Arsenal chat will be taking over my first blog, Man City did exactly what was predicted, worry people by winning and showing off then getting rubbish draws and not keeping up with the top 4 pace. Chelsea look favorites but the Wigan game made them look human again! Liverpool are nearly written off completely like Arsenal last year, and United as always are United with time added on!

Anyway, as it is my first blog I'm going to catch up on Arsenal's season and for me its been a mixed view so far: two losses (big losses I may add) and yes the United game was an appalling joke all round but afterwards I felt happy about the performance. The City game I didn't see but the review was "we were all over them" - so I take it it's the usual... Good football, no end result! But still, this year we HAVE been better; we are scoring better but what I'm pulling my hair out about is WHY THE HELL DOES NO-ONE GET IN THE 6 YARD BOX?! If anyone reads this - the next time you watch Arsenal play, count how many times you see an Arsenal player in the 6 yard box... then watch as the ball is desperate for a tap in and no-ones there! That will cost us dearly soon and I fear it will be in a semi final or even a final.
I'll get some more stuff off my chest as my blogs go along but for now thats all tonight!

Arsenal 6-2 Blackburn
Well all i can say is: Fabregas, simply stunning! Personally, it's the best performance I've ever seen from him and it came at the right time. After critism from people saying he is unhappy and longing to go back to spain after years of Arsenal devotion, he's got his "I'm going to score for the sake of it" attitude back and firing them in outside the box, and his celebration was the most heartwarming thing so far. Kissing the badge and showing his faith to the club to make sure there is no more confusion! Still there will still be a Cesc to Barca back page print at least 90 more times until the summer!
Now there was some negative feedback from sunday and that is the 2 goals (obviously) that we conceded. The 2nd one was definitely a mistake by the defence. Sanga, a little too out of place for me sometimes, really starts making me sweat when hes tracking back from forward runs. Im not having a go at him but goals like that do happen because of the lack of tracking!
Vermaelen - well who'd have thought our new number 5 would be a welcome breath of fresh air! A very nice suprise: a defender that CAN defend and looked unbeatable at times and a player that can take the game by the scruff of the neck and score wonders like on sunday! I could go on about him all day but that will do for now!
To sum up the game, I was satisfiyed at the end but still leeking goals is leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

Players so far that have stood out this year:

1. Thomas Vermaelen
Like I said about above, a great new player and its just who Arsenal needs!

2. Cesc Fabregas
A smile wouldn't hurt but he's keeping ME smiling so far this season!

3. Tomas Rosicky
He just makes me feel less nervous when he's in full flow - he's just great to watch!

Who to look out for:

1. Nasri
Poor bugger breaking his leg! What a tit but when he's back on form he will push us to glory!

2. Theo Walcott
It's his season this time round and he's already bagged a goal in his 1st appearance.

3. Carlos Vela
Yes a wild card, I like to call him. Go on Wenger give him a chance!

Thats all for now, it's just for starters as it's my 1st blog!

goduffgo