Arsenal's Weekend Performance
|Hull City
While Saturday’s contest with Hull City was by no means their best performance, it nevertheless shows an ever-apparent resilience that the current Arsenal side lacked just a few months ago. On an unbeaten run that has showed more defensive solidity than offensive firepower, this team is becoming increasingly more substantive than stylish, and it surely has been Wenger’s wish lately to marry those two together. Although Hull did score, it really did come from a bit of bad luck. If the same luck were to be applied to Arsenal’s attacks, surely three more goals would have been added to the tally. Robin van Persie’s freekicks and Bendtner’s unlucky header needed only a trifling of fortune to have been counted, yet they were not to be. That said, Nicklas Bendtner’s goal did come from an offside van Persie, so it appears that we got our just rewards.
Carrying on with the discussion of Arsenal’s attacking, Nasri, Diaby, Ade, and in particular, van Persie, all showed a developing cognizance for interchanging and no look passes, which were characteristic of the Flamini, Cesc, and Hleb era. Quite a bit of attacking responsibility has fallen onto the shoulders of our attackers, what with the losses of Hleb and Flamini, and the injuries to Cesc, Theo, and Rosicky, and it appears that our current team has stepped up to the plate.
Arsenal Loanees
This weekend’s Premier League action was pleasing not only because of our first team’s performance, but also because of the performances of both Jay Simpson and Armand Traore. Simpson got himself into good scoring positions and was a real menace throughout West Brom’s 3-0 win, and surely his confidence has gotten even higher. A player many wrote off not too long ago, he has gone from strength to strength and has given Wenger plenty to think about. Here’s hoping he continues his current form for the rest of the season.
Armand Traore has been a valuable player for Portsmouth, and Sunday’s game against Twattenham further underlined his worth. While Pompey struggled to maintain possession, the few times they got the ball to the French winger, good things happened. Indeed, a driving, 40-yard run by him set up David Nugent to smash home Pompey’s only goal of the match. Traore, like Simpson, is also giving Wenger plenty to think about, and has really seized his loan chance.
Arshavin
A smorgasbord-style review of the weekend’s action would not be complete with a review of the ‘new Nasri,’ such has Andrey Arshavin’s prolonged transfer been. Many quotes in the papers, and indeed from his agent, indicate a resolution will be reached within this week. I, for one, would be quite delighted to see him holding up an Arsenal shirt. If there remains anyone who thinks he would not be a real potent attacking threat for us, then I thoroughly cannot wait for you to be surprised. He has the pace of Clichy, the vision of Nasri, and the finishing of Adeba…er, of a striker worth 15 million. May his inclusion into the squad come quickly;
good stuff, am looking forward to the end of this arshavin saga and hopefully adding another player before the deadline
nice, really looking forward to arshavin signing soon (if that definately is the case), him and maybe another center mid would be good
arshavin will rock the casbar
I personally need arshavin pls do bring hm to d emirates stadium for the fa cup tie wit cardif city
I cannot wait till tuesday/wednesday, and hopefully their will be some news that we’ve signed him, and we’ll see what hes capable off on saturday against Cardiff. 😀
Nice blog mate.
i dont think arshavin will play vs cardiff if signs next week n aint the game away
Good article. I will also be happy if we can finally sign Arshavin. I’ve seen him play back in early 2007 and always wanted him to become an Arsenal player. People who claim he is overrated or that we should not sign him have clearly barely seen him play. He reminds me of a mixture of Rosicky and Hleb. Great attacking player.
I reckon that wenger thinks that the problem does not lie with the defence, it is that we do not seem to score the second goal when we are 1-0 up. therefore allowing more pressure the defence
So by buying arshavin which would be an awesome attacking option we would have more of a chance of killing of teams when we are ahead which is nearly everygame!
let me know what you think?
Great review of the game. I didnt think we were that bad considering how defensive hull were at times. Arshavin maybe the “new Nasri” but i doubt that the deal can be agreed considering that Zenit are asking huge money for a player who not many people had even seen playing until their uefa cup win last season. Wigan have mentioned that a second club has entered the palacios race and I do hope it is us. Arsene Wenger screwed up when he passed up the opportunity to sign palacios and I think he’s the midfielder we need and is miles better than denilson, diaby or song, epl proven and is only 24. Everything AW will be looking for this window.
Also, no one claims Arshavin is over rated. Just unproven in a really competitive league. No one doubts his ability to put in great performances, only whether he can do it consistently in a competitive league. Atleast I do.
I don’t compltely agree with your analysis. There was more than a hint of luck in our third goal as RVP was clearly offside (which you do mention). Djourou was lucky not to have given a penalty for his clumsy header attempt on Munchu.
And a better defensive effort (not just better luck) would have prevented their goal. Clichy gave Mendy waaaay too much time & not enough pressure on the ball for his cross that resulted in the goal, backing away from the winger & leaving his leg dangling around in the air. Djourou also didn’t mark Cousin tightly enough.
Also, was Bendtner unlucky with his header or was it not quite good enough?
Offside goals happen all the time Adam. While I initially thought Djourou’s foul merited a penalty, I think ultimately Alan Wiley thought that the contact did not influence play enough to give the penalty, which might have changed the game.
Secondly, people are overanalyzing Clichy’s play. The ball went over his head, and if he had gotten any closer then Mendy could have gone by him with ease. I would certainly take my chances with a deflected cross than with Mendy going right by Clichy.
Bendtner’s header was centimetres off. Any closer to the inside of the post would have made it a perfect header. Surely that’s just unlucky?
The Andrei saga has been a nail biting affair. It felt like Arsenal was playing a Russian Roulette with his transfer (No pun intended). Andrei will surely help in bolstering our midfield and will fit perfectly when our 3 kings return (Cesc, Rosicky and Theo) He would compliment the style of play in the middle. With the Hull game, there were still lapses in defense but it was a huge improvement from the previous months. We will get it right in a few more games and once we do we will get a consistent clean sheet.
Good blog
but guys, what about CL? i wish wenger bring some one like inler who bring us some defensive skill( i know that wenger denied inler) but only a wish!:D
Good blog.
Interesting to see what happens when Traore comes back. Like you said, he seems to have seized his loan oppurtunity and I think a season on loan was just what he needed. When he comes back, there is massive competition down the left with Clichy, Gibbs, Merida, him, Rosicky and Nasri but I think other than Clichy, he is the only one that offers the direct running and pace we have lacked down the left since we lost Reyes.
Jay Simpson really seems to be seizing his opportunity too, which will only further increase competition up front, or down the right if Wenger decides to use him there sparingly at first.
What are peoples opinions on Alex Song? He clearly isn’t the most gifted footballer in the world and is a completely different footballer to what we’re used to but he’s the only person we’ve had playing in the middle of the park who was winning 50/50 and 40/60 balls. If he could work on his distribution, even if just to keep it simple, I reckon he’d be one hell of an asset to the team.
song is absolutely atrocious
i think song has the potential to become a good and strong DM. but he should improve his passing skills.
I dont see Song as our DM. He is a lot like Gilberto and i done think thats what the team needs in that position. Cesc played better with Flamini, an all action tackler and ball winner and not so good with Gilberto, a coverer of space and interceptor. Denilson, whil i feel is a good midfielder and will get better is more of a mixture of Gilberto/Cesc. Hes not a tackler and is not all action but can be a link player, like carrick at man u.
good news !!!!!!
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4817315,00.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1122384/Zenit-boss-Advocaat-admits-Andrei-Arshavins-Arsenal-deal.html?ITO=1490
gutting news on sky sports at the moment. Arshavin’s preferred destination is city, and their about to put a £20 mill bid in!
wankers
Could be sh1te. If Gooner Chris
has spoken to Arshavin’s agent and he has said he expects him to be an Arsenal player, why would he say this if all along his client wants to go to City? Sky Sports sources in St. Petersburg??!! Do me a favour. Man City are linked to absolutely everyone. You cannot put Robinho, Bellamy, Kaka, De Jong and Arshavin in the same team, Hughes is no mug.
Zenit St Petersburg boss Dick Advocaat expects Andrei Arshavin to complete his proposed move to Arsenal in the near future.
The Russian playmaker is believed to be on the verge of leaving his homeland and heading for Emirates Stadium.
A big-money move is already reported to have been agreed between the two clubs, with the deal only waiting on the player agreeing terms.
With that expected to be a formality, Advocaat has readied himself in preparation for Arshavin’s imminent exit.
“Negotiations with Arsenal continue and the chances are very high that Arshavin will soon play in the English Premier League,” the Dutchman told the Daily Mail.
Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has played down speculation suggesting AC Milan will launch a raid for Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie should they agree to sell Kaka to Manchester City.
“No, I’m not worried about that at all,” said the Frenchman.
Hey Chris,
PLEASE REDACT SOME OF THE INFORMATION ON YOUR LACHTER SCREEN CAPTURE.
DID YOU GET HIS PERMISSION TO PRINT THE EMAIL? TO DISPLAY HIS CONTACT INFO?
IT’S NOT SMART TO MAKE THAT READILY AVAILABLE TO GOONERS, ZENIT FANS OR EVEN SPURS MAKING MISCHIEF. IS IT EASIER OR HARDER TO GET THIS DEAL WRAPPED UP WHEN THE AGENT IS FIELDING CALLS AND PRANKS AND THEN NEEDS TO GET A NEW PHONE?
SO HAVE SOME SMARTS AND PULL THE INFORMATION.
” IT’S ON THE FIFA SITE” EXCUSE IS NOT LEGITIMATE AS YOU ARE PROVIDING AND SPREADING THE INFORMATION TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD NOT OTHERWISE HAVE IT.
THINK ABOUT THIS AND DO THE RIGHT THING! PULL THE CONTACT INFO!
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1712/arsenal/2009/01/19/1068244/finished-wengers-thrift-could-lose-him-arshavin-as-zenit-reject-
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That’s ridicolous. Now they are really waiting for a 20m bid? I think tomorrow Gazidis will offer a 15+5 m bid and if they will reject it, we won’t buy Arshavin.
Anyone can get in contact with him, the information is readily avaliable.
I’m still in contact with Mr Lachter, he has no problem with me posting any article related to Arshavin or image.
Clockendoftime-
Do me a favour, and take caps lock off. What do you think that is going to do with you, make you seem more credible?
Secondly, I’m sure Goonerchris understood what he was doing by posting the interview details. Besides, Dennis Lachter is a high-profile agent, and he doesn’t answer emails for no reason. It must have been some sort of calculated move by him.
Josh-
I would be very surprised if his preferred destination is a club that are at best two years from Champions League football, something Zenit currently have, mind you. Arshavin is 27, and does not have too much time left at his peak. He’ll want to be at a big club, and soon. Man City will not sign him unless they offer outrageous money. And IMO, if they were going to buy him, they would have done so by now.
athlon-
They’ll go for 15 million. There are no more suitors going for him, as they would have made themselves apparent by now. What Zenit get from Arsenal is the best they can get for Arshavin. He wants to be sold, and he will be to us, and by this week. Keep the faith.
did it really say that on sky sports news
Chris –
I think you do good work and do not doubt that Lachter allowed you to quote him.
However, I am really surprised that a professional agent with a high profile client – however hungry he is for publicity would tell you to go ahead and publish all five of his phone numbers and his skype information.
Also, can you explain why you simply did not redact the last few digits of each number? Or did Lachter specifically ask you to make sure you include all his contact information so he can be bombarded with phone calls?
@ CadesRoberts & Everyone. Sorry about the ALL CAPS – not very polite.
Good article Roberts, however has our defence really looked that solid? Yes we kept clean sheets against Bolton and Portsmouth, but a closer look shows that against Bolton we relaxed and our defence provided Bolton with an easy chance to equalize which they didn’t take. Portsmouth yes we were solid but they hardly came out to play gung ho did they? (Same with Bolton for that matter) And when I speak of Aston Villa I do not need to explain myself as that defensive performance was shambolic. Finally against Hull Clichy’s mistake was appaling and was not “lucky” but an error.
However good article
great article mate…i would love to see ade, RvP,nasri, arshavin, rosicky, fabregas on the same pitch…