Gooner Talk

I looked at the date for this fixture in the diary at the beginning of the football year when the dates were released. I looked at our run in, and, convinced we would be in a strong position at this point of the year, saw this home game against United as the platform upon which our players would strike a blow against Manchester’s very best.

Ultimately Arsenal aren’t that close to United and as such have lost the flowing momentum that had building up behind us earlier in the season.
 
Against Bolton, despite possession; there was not a cruel, cold blooded goal scorer to put away the chances we created. We did not have an Ian Wright or Javier Hernandez to change to the score-line. Once again despite possession, Arsenal were undone by set pieces.  A familiar pattern we have faced for some years now. No other side have conceded a higher percentage of their goals, 56%, from set pieces in 2010-11.
 
Wenger said in his Thursday lunchtime press conference “There is more at stake on Sunday than just the mathematics.” This game, at this stage of the season will set the momentum for United’s final run in. Do well in this game against Arsenal and they could well carry this form through to Wembley and overwhelm Barcelona. Find themselves against an aggressive, competitive team that refuse to lose and put them on the rack – who knows? Arsenal could dent their confidence and undermine their focus.

Furthermore the match, should it be won, can serve as the motivational tool Wenger can use to persuade big players to join and our best players to stay. It would set a great precedent for the next season and give the team (which is unlikely to change greatly, despite paper news) a driving platform to begin the season 2011/2012 from.

Arsene Wenger also said “It is important for us to show some fighting spirit, some fighting attitude and some pride.”

That’s very true, it is vital for the players and their careers too. If Wenger cannot back them to perform on a nice warm day at home when their is no pressure to deliver (comparatively as no title at stake now) then when exactly can these men, who have so much ‘potential’ as we are told, deliver to their supporters?
 
Johan Djourou has had a great season, and I am loathe to criticise him but if he is the commanding centre back we have been looking for, he did not look it against Bolton. A great game from him in this match could prevent Wenger from signing a Cahill or Hangeland.
 
United will force the ball out wide by packing bodies down the centre. Balls crossed into the box for Van Persie on his own will be bread and butter for Vidic and Ferdinand, the best centre-back combination of the last 20 years in the Premier League. Van Persie is on an excellent run of scoring goals and has natural link up play, however, despite being good in the air when he makes contact with a cross, he is far from an aerial threat. Van Persie does not even put himself into the right positions to meet the crosses to score from. Still in his heart more Dennis than Thierry, his genetic DNA withdraws him form the attrition zone to the playmaker areas. Note that forced to play the target man in the world cup, with less flexibility, he did not score. At least Hernandez makes the right runs that allow him to compete for such crosses. As it is the little Mexican punches above his weight. Arsenal could play a traditional target man in Chamakh who has been wildly out of form. Against Liverpool, we finished with a cross completion rate of 0%, from 27 attempted crosses.
 
This is how this match will likely play out; Arsenal have lots of possession, United sit back and use Nani and Rooney to counter. Park and Anderson close our midfield down running likely 400m runners. Vidic might hit the post from a corner. Van Persie or Nasri will get a chance and THIS is where the game is to be won or lost. Against Clichy and two talented (but not dominating defenders), I am sure United will score. We must take our chances to win as at some point Rooney will probably find space on a counter attack to test Szczesny.

Everything is at stake; Individual careers, our sanity and the team’s momentum for next year.

My prediction: Arsenal 2-2 Manchester United

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For all Arsenal chat, transfer news and discussion about Arsenal join me on twitter and follow me @Detective82.

Arsene Wenger received a boost after Thomas Vermaelen made his long-awaited return and played a full 90 minutes in Arsenal’s reserve match against Manchester United on Thursday.

Despite Vermaelen’s recovery, Gunners manager Wenger said he would not consider the Belgium centre back for tomorrow’s first team clash against Sir Alex Ferguson’s men as he is not ready yet.

Vermaelen has missed the last eight months with an achilles injury – but looks set to play again before the end of the season.

You can view highlights of the 25-year-old’s performance in the video below.

Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner admits he doesn’t know whether he’ll be at Emirates Stadium next season, revealing that Gunners boss Arsene Wenger hasn’t spoken to him about his increasingly uncertain future with the club.

The Danish striker has previously aired his frustration at his lack of starting opportunities this term, with Wenger often choosing to deploy him from the bench and on the right wing.

Speaking to Danish daily BT, Bendtner said that he hopes to be handed a chance in the final games of the Premier League season.

“I have three years left on my contract with Arsenal and we now have only four games left in which I hope to be involved in,” said Bendtner.

“I’ve certainly spoken to Wenger, but he hasn’t anything about me finding a new club to play for in the summer, or that he is unhappy with me”

“We have talked about everyday things, like “what we have and I will work with”, and so we have recently spoken about that.”

Bendtner’s father and national team coach have both vented their annoyance at the lack of opportunities he has been given this season, with the latter suggesting that Wenger “isn’t getting the best” out of him.

Related articles:

Bendtner’s Father: “I’m far from satisfied with Nicklas’ situation at Arsenal

Denmark boss: ‘Wenger isn’t getting the best out of Bendtner

‘Bendtner would benefit from leaving Arsenal’, says Gunners legend

Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Premier League look as good as gone after they lost 2-1 at Bolton on Easter Sunday.

Bolton were the better side in the first half and took the lead when Daniel Sturridge found the back of the net after Gary Cahill’s header was blocked.

The Gunners levelled in the second half when just seconds after Kevin Davies missed the chance to put Bolton 2-0 up when a wrongly awarded penalty was saved, Robin van Persie fired home from the edge of the box after he was set up by Cesc Fabregas.

But just seconds from the end, Arsenal’s title hopes disappeared when Bolton scored a dramatic late winner, with substitute Tamir Cohen heading home from a corner.

Nicklas Bendtner won’t be involved in today’s crucial Premier League clash against Bolton Wanderers, after the Danish striker revealed on his Twitter page that he is out with a ‘short-term’ injury.

The Danish striker has seen his opportunities limited since the signing of Marouane Chamakh and the impressive form of Robin van Persie and, when fit, Theo Walcott.

Bendtner was expected to be on the substitutes bench at the Reebok this afternoon, but his injury means that the 23-year-old will be fighting to face Manchester United next week.

“Out with an injury – hope to be back for next match. Come on Arsenal”, Bendtner tweeted.

Follow us on Twitter for all the latest team news and views ahead of today’s game at Bolton.

There are many positives to take from this season.

This has been the season Arsenal have found a future England captain develop from their Academy, Nasri has found match winning form, Djourou became a great defender and Szczesny arrived complete with a mad goal keepers personality.

However, the recent (and extended) slump in results leaves a sour taste in the mouth. The fantastic results of beating Chelsea and Barcelona raised expectations so high that when the bubble burst, for those of us innocent and naive enough to ignore frailties (myself included), we felt our confidence in the club fall crashing to the ground.

On reflection of this season up to this point, I don’t feel I can be positive about it and I say that knowing that there were great things that happened. Had we won the Carling Cup I would say different but not without.

The important question is not yet about what summer changes there will or will not be, but how can we take the players and club forward in the remainder of the season.

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It’s no wonder Arsenal are able to draw so many penalties with their flicky-flicky football and repeated 1-2′s. Sure the style draws fouls, but so often it looks incredibly narrow and like a long shot that it can create a goal. How many seasons now have critics said we are trying to score the perfect goal?

I am not proposing a complete adjustment of the style but unless you take enough shots, then you don’t force errors, create opportunities or force some luck. Cristiano Ronaldo would not have beaten Gomes had he not have shot. The worst thing I’ve heard is the management are considering letting Rosicky leave to be replaced with Hleb for his second spell. I think the Czech should be allowed to move on but signing a player renowned above all others for not shooting makes my eyes water. 

The fullbacks, Clichy and Eboue, gave the width for parts of the game but it looked as though the Liverpool defenders could handle head height crosses all day long bar one corner Koscielny nearly scored from. What’s the bottom line? Van Persie is not a last man forward. Numerous interceptions made from his feet because their defenders knew he does not have the pace to run beyond. It reminded me of the FA Cup final against Manchester United, which we ultimately won. With Bergkamp unable to beat Rio Ferdinand for pace, he did what Skrtel did. 

I’d like to see Arsenal with Van Persie running on to neat lay offs from a player ahead of him not running behind. He’s a fantastic goalscorer, but not suited to the attrition and warfare of roughing it alongside the rough henchmen of the league. Should someone as brittle be battling with Terry, Vidic, Skrtel or should he be given a free role to link play in behind someone physical enough to bully those players and outpace them? The risk is he would become a luxury player in this role. Maybe he is unable to track back and tackle as effectively as, say, a Fabregas or a Nasri in the role. If that is true then might Van Persie be the wrong player tactically? I do not say this is what I think, I seek to discuss a way of deploying him more efficiently.

Another player I would like to consider is Abou Diaby. He gave Arsenal a power and physicality they miss greatly. His ability to move through tackling midfielders is superb, and yet, I still groan when he is in the side. Why? He doesn’t step up and perform in the massive games. Wilshere, Nasri and Fabregas have all given big performances on big stages at various times (though not lately). The times I get frustrated with Diaby is when Arsenal’s attacking midfielders are straddling the thirty yard line trying to penetrate a stubborn defence. He continually slows the game down, allowing any decent organised outfit to realign to any space made by the player who has passed to him. Watching Barcelona, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Arsenal at their peak you see how vital the speed of tempo is against such a tactic. 

What is more, it seems like it has been an age waiting for Diaby to truly arrive at the highest level. It’s been many years that Diaby has flattered to deceive that he would become the all action match winner he could be. 

Diaby divides fans into two camps; those that say he is not good enough and those that say he possesses the natural athletic prowess to win games by himself. I am waiting for that player to arrive; and not against Newcastle, West Ham or Everton but against Chelsea, United or Tottenham. For surely that has to be the standard, a group of players individually and collaboratively capable of dominating top matches. Let’s see if he can deliver on Wednesday, and show what he is all about. 

Footnote: For all Arsenal chat, transfer news and the odd bit about my career as a Police Officer follow me on Twitter @Detective82.