QPR (h) preview

John Jensen - I was there

The last time I remember going to football on New Years Eve we played against QPR. Here we are, seventeen years later, getting ready to face the same opponents on the same day of the year. That game back in 1994 has passed in to Arsenal folklore as it saw the first, and only, goal scored by John Jensen for Arsenal. The fact that we would go on to lose the game 3-1 was almost ignored by most of us because of Jensen's strike. Perhaps it was a sign of how badly the team was playing that season that we should try to cling to something which, basically, summed up how poor our midfield was in an attacking sense. I was a fan of Jensen, and I still am. JJ was a whole-hearted destroyer in the centre of midfield. Unfortunately for him his arrival came at the same time as David Rocastle's departure. A replacement for Rocky he was not, but he went on to become a cult figure with the crowd. Somewhere I still have the t-shirt saying that "I was there when John Jensen scored." I suppose it's one of the more surreal moments in my Arsenal watching life, but memorable nonetheless.
As for the game tomorrow we will see Theo Walcott returning to the side. He will be up against Armand Traore, it would seem. I hope Traore performs as well as he did in his final appearance  for Arsenal at Old Trafford. He seems to have played almost every game for QPR since he went there, so I assume he must have done okay for them. Theo should be fresh after a ten day break, and he ought to be relishing the chance to get out there against Traore.
Elsewhere I can see some more rotation of the players in midfield. I think that Arteta will be benched for either tomorrow, or Mondays' game at Fulham. Arsene certainly won't want someone in such a crucial position to have to play three times in seven days. I think we'll see Aaron Ramsey coming back in tomorrow, but the versatility of Rosicky and Benayoun could see either of them keeping their place. Other changes could mean a start for Arshavin, Coquelin or Oxlade-Chamberlain. There may also be a case to rest Robin Van Persie ahead of the game on Monday, but I doubt the skipper would be overly impressed in the circumstances. Nor would the crowd, come to that.
QPR have done pretty well since they got promoted. I imagine their supporters were resigned to a very long season when they were destroyed at home by Bolton on the opening day. Like most I'm not a fan of Neil Warnock, but you can be sure his team's will fight for everything. They have some combative players in the midfield, but also some skill with Taarabt. Up front I think it's fair to say that Helgusson has surprised most of us with his goalscoring at this level so far. His goals are the reason QPR are doing as well as they are. Mertesacker and Koscielny, assuming they both play again, will not have an easy ride tomorrow afternoon.
After the disappointing outcome on Tuesday the three points are even more crucial tomorrow. Our home form has actually been not too good in the past month, where a lack of goals has been a thorn in our side - bear in mind that it took a Robin Van Persie stunner to beat Everton early in December. It's a problem that must be thrown aside, and quickly, if we are to keep challenging for the important positions in the Premier League. A failure to win our next two games could render Thierry Henry's arrival academic, and that would be no good to us.

Not long now, Hunt just one letter out

HE is coming

The Thierry Henry transfer story is gathering pace. Today Per Mertesacker has had his say and it seems the big fella is in favour of the Great Man's return. I had to laugh at Sky's Dharmesh Sheth claiming that sources "close to Thierry Henry" said he would be "willing to return on loan." What a scoop, eh? I mean, it's not as though Thierry has ever publicly stated his desire to return to Arsenal at some stage, either as a player or something else.
Something that must be understood when Henry completes his loan move is that he will not be the Thierry of yesteryear. The electrifying pace has gone. The prolific goalscoring has gone. However, the touch and the ability is still there. His return would, ideally, prompt a change in the formation for a while. I would like to see a 4-4-2 with Henry playing the Bergkamp role, behind Robin Van Persie. If Thierry is going to be here, then let's make the best of what he can offer. I strongly suspect there would be no slacking from him in such a brief stay, and he would be keen to play as much as possible.
Sunday is January 1st, the opening of the transfer window. What better way to see out 2011, and welcome 2012, than by announcing the signing on Saturday afternoon, before the QPR game? This would leave Henry clear to make his second debut, if not at Fulham, in the FA Cup at home to Leeds a week on Monday. The last thing we need is for any of this to drag on - the window of Henry's availability is brief, so let's get the most we can off him.

I can't believe Sky have chosen to make publicity of Steven Hunt's comments with regard to Arsenal players haranguing the referee on Tuesday. Having been at the game I can honestly say that the only person continually in the face of Stuart Attwell was Hunt himself. Every time a decision went against Wolves there he was. He's always been a nasty little toe-rag - just ask Petr Cech.
All credit, for once, to Gordon Taylor who has criticised Hunt for his statements. It was quite funny watching Sky Sports News this afternoon as they clearly had him on there in an attempt to show Arsenal in a bad light. It serves them right.
Something to bear in mind in all of this, of course, is the fact that Manchester United's players have constantly surrounded officials throughout the last twenty years. It doesn't do for Sky to have a go at them, though, in case the Scots alcoholic bans them from his press conferences. That's not to mention their other favourites, "JT" and "Big Fat Frank." It makes me so angry!
I would suggest that Steven Hunt, meanwhile, gets back to selling pegs and lucky heather.

Incidentally I'm just watching Sky presenter Gerorgie Thompson doing her last interview before going off to do Formula One next year. She is being made to speak to Twitchy Redknapp. What will Sky do when he goes to prison? Or if he gets the England job, where the FA will ban him from being rent-a-quote? The air time on Sky will be quite barren, I'm sure. In the interview he's just stopped short of describing Georgie as "good lad, quality player."

Arsenal 1 - 1 Wolves - bad two points dropped

How is this man allowed near a football pitch?

I thought Arsenal played with plenty of effort yesterday. It wasn't one of those days where I came away from the game bemoaning the players attitude, as was so often the case last season. The problem yesterday was that we lack a bit of quality when, perhaps, it matters most. We also came up against yet another goalkeeper who decided to play the best game of his career against Arsenal. One other thing we came up against was the most inept, incompetent official that English football has ever seen. I notice that Arseblogger has stated he felt the red card was wrong. From my vantage point, and that of most of the other 50,000+ Gooners present, it was a dangerous tackle. It should also be noted that the game had been spiralling out of the control of the referee. The foul by Milijas was, at best, reckless. In the context of the game it was a deserved sending off.
We got off to a fine start by taking an early lead. Benayoun and Rosicky were linking the play very nicely. In the absence of Theo Walcott (not even in the squad, but I've not yet seen why that was) Gervinho was the only pacy outlet in the side. I thought he had messed up his chance but he managed to squeeze the shot in. That, really, should have opened the floodgates for Arsenal. It never really materialised despite our dominance. I felt the turning point was when RobinVan Persie chose to take on the defence, rather than putting Alex Song clean through, only to be closed out. Within three minutes Wolves had levelled. There was a certain amount of fortune in the goal, as the deflection fell straight to Fletcher, but you can't deny the quality of his reaction header. We also must lament RVP's failure to push up, thus playing him onside.
The second-half was one way traffic, but Arsenal were consistently denied by Wayne Hennessy. They were also denied by the terrible officiating. In front of me there was a clear handball. There was also, in the aftermath of the red card, a clear foul on Robin Van Persie. As the skipper went for a header he was pulled to the ground, his shirt virtually ripped from his back. I have no idea how the referee managed to miss it. The linesman, who would have had a clear view, as I did, also failed to do his job.
Ultimately we missed chances. The two points dropped could now be crucial. With Liverpool and Chelsea failing to win on Monday a victory was imperative. Tottenham winning last night means the two points lost are even greater. Looking at our fixtures over this two week period, having won the most difficult one at Villa, you would have expected maximum points. A win against QPR is now vital on Saturday. It is also vital that Arsene Wenger gets to work on securing reinforcements early in January. We need two strikers as the alternatives to Robin Van Persie are simply not good enough (Park still wasn't even on the bench yesterday). Thierry Henry and Demba Ba would be ideal. I have heard this rumour about Bobby Zamora. God forbid. We have a massive month ahead, yet again.

More tomorrow.

Wolves (h) preview, Thierry to return, A Christmas message

Happy Christmas from It's MY Arsenal Opinion

The game against Wolves and, more particularly, its postponement until Tuesday has been a bit of a bonus for me and most of the other Dover Gooners. I've just got back from the annual Christmas Eve get together (yes, it is a pub based event) that involves a number of us and the consensus was very much the same - a 3 o'clock game on Boxing Day is no good, but a delay is just dandy, thanks very much.
The team news is that Johan Djourou might well return to the squad, and that is good news - not least because it means Squillaci should move back out of harm's way for the time being. Apart from that there's not a lot to say. I can see Aaron Ramsey being rested, with either Benayoun or Rosicky coming in. I can also see Gervinho being left out, which is fine as long as Arshavin isn't the beneficiary. Alex Song will return, in place of Emmanuel Frimpong. The enforced week off will have done Song no harm at all.
Wolves have had a mixed bag again this season. Personally I believe they are hamstrung by the dinosaur that is their Manager. Their start was outstanding, but was followed by a dreadful run of results. They have some quality in attack, especially in the shape of Stephen Fletcher. However, they should be unable to really trouble this Arsenal team. In an ideal World that would certainly be the case, but this is football. In football, especially in England, there is little cut and dried. I fully expect a motivated team to come to our place on Tuesday and run their socks off. An early goal could be crucial for Arsenal.
I'll leave it there for now in terms of a preview. I know it's a bit brief, but it is Christmas Eve after all.

It seems that Arsene Wenger is now actively considering a return for Thierry Henry (because, of course, he wasn't before now...much). Naturally he isn't the player he was. However, he is still on a different planet to our other back-up strikers. I hope the deal is already in place, despite what Wenger says, and that the Great Man will play against Leeds in the FA Cup. It would be a great way to start the New Year if Arsenal were to announce the return of the King. I'd even go and get my home shirt printed with his name and number on it. Go on Arsene, get it done. Such a signing could create the sort of buzz that would spur the squad on to greater things. It would certainly get the fans going.

Finally I would like to just sum up what the blog has done this year. When I wrote on Christmas Eve 2010 I noted that the site had been visited on 5200 occasions in its first six months. This year, following our introduction to the NewsNow Arsenal feed, the site has got up to the very cusp of 300,000 hits since I started it. I have to thank everyone that has read and contributed, either on the site itself, or Twitter, or Facebook. It is quite humbling that so many people would take the time to click on the link and, maybe, read what I've had to say about the World's greatest Club. This site is never going to be as big as an Arseblog, but nor does it pretend to be anything similar. This site is simply my view on all things Arsenal. You might not like my opinion, you might not agree with my opinion, but you must understand that mine is an opinion based on watching Arsenal in the flesh. As far as I'm concerned that makes my view more valid than that of someone who doesn't go to games (I am not doing down sites written by those who don't go, but I personally don't lend much credence to their views). I think, if you spoke to most people who actually go to watch Arsenal, they would agree with that. Again, you don't have to like or agree with that, but it's my opinion, and it's my blog.
My Christmas this year will be, as ever, spent with family. I will be off to Church later to celebrate a little Midnight Mass, and then to bed while Father Christmas does his stuff. I have two very excited little boys in the house right now, and my eldest is impatient to track the progress being made by the man in the sleigh on Norad Santa. That being the case I will sign off now, and I will do so by wishing all of you a very Happy Christmas.

Mid-Season Review

Dear Father Christmas...the FA Cup will do

I can honestly say I have never experienced the sort of lows we had to endure at the start of this season in my whole life watching Arsenal. Since then we have seen a new team grow in confidence, and produce some pretty good high points. The severity of the bad days of August has made the wins against Chelsea and the success in Europe seem, perhaps, more sweet than they would normally deserve to be. We can be thankful, however, that we are able to enjoy anything right now after the debacles at Old Trafford and Ewood Park.
The start of the season was incredibly traumatic for Arsenal supporters. It wasn’t just the results that were upsetting us. In fact the results were a direct consequence of everything else that was going on. The squad was in a state of turmoil with the Fabregas and Nasri situations spinning beyond control. Coupled with the lack of players coming in there was a general apathy around the entire place, and this surely transmitted to a group of players who were in some kind of limbo. All of these issues were, of course, problems of our own making. Had the Manager doing his job properly in the earlier part of the Summer then what we endured in the first five weeks of the season would have been avoided. It’s easy to be wise after events, but I think almost everyone (apart from those who believe Wenger can do no wrong) were clear that early resolution to transfer business was what Arsenal needed. We all knew that Fabregas would be leaving and, as he was allowed to leave for a pittance, it should have been done in June. Similarly we saw Arsene enter in to a frivolous game of hard-ball over Samir Nasri, and we were left to enter the season with a disaffected player stinking the place out. When you add in the fact that only Gervinho had been added at that stage it was understandable that the knives were out, even before a ball had been kicked.
What happened at Old Trafford can never be forgotten, and nor should it be. The Manager should have been summarily removed from his position after such a humiliation for Arsenal Football Club. We saw Carl Jenkinson’s career at Arsenal coming under threat almost before it had begun, while Armand Traore’s insipid display was surely because he knew he was leaving 24 hours later. Nobody covered themselves in glory that day, with the possible exception of Francis Coquelin. We also saw the likes of Gilles Sunu on the bench that day, again just hours before being transferred. What did this do to the mind-set of the young players that actually want to play for Arsenal? It was symptomatic of the chaos that was engulfing the Club, and it was very much transmitted on to the pitch. It was the lowest of the lows we have faced. The best that can be said is that things could only really get better from there on, and they certainly have done.
The new signings added some much needed, and much overdue, experience to the squad. It is evident that there is a far more pragmatic approach to defending a lead, and the older heads (coupled with the timely return of Thomas Vermaelen) have brought improvement in the game of all those around them – most notably Walcott, Song and Koscielny.
The main man has, of course, been Robin Van Persie. When I wrote this equivalent review piece last December I questioned whether a fit-again Robin could re-discover his form. I said how, if he did hit his stride (and stay fit) we might witness something special. Robin has certainly delivered in the most extraordinary fashion. Let’s face it, anyone who can equal, or better, the goalscoring feats of Thierry Henry has clearly been doing something quite incredible. It is often questioned as to how Arsenal would be doing without RVP. No doubt we would be struggling, but that’s the nature of football. Would Manchester United have run away with the Title a couple of years back without Cristiano Ronaldo’s goals? Of course they wouldn’t, but nobody wanted to question Manchester United, did they? Having said that, there are obvious deficiencies in Arsenal’s striking options. Chamakh has failed to build on his excellent start at the Club, while Ju Young Park is looking like more and more of an Amaury Bischoff or a Fabian Caballero signing. I almost compared him to Kaba Diawara, but at least Diawara played a lot of games in his short Arsenal career.
The rest of the season could yet bring us success. The FA Cup must be a realistic goal for the players. They need silverware, and Wembley in May is the most likely place for us to find it. The Manager must commit to winning a trophy, and hope that a top four finish takes care of itself.
I was criticised in the comments section the other day by someone who says that I would have settled for fourth at the start of the season. That is utter nonsense, and it remains so. If you are happy with Arsenal finishing fourth, and not challenging for the top place, then you do not deserve to be an Arsenal supporter. We must strive to be the very best, and that means winning the Title. This season, following that disastrous start, fourth place would probably be an achievement of some note. However, that should not be seen as a measure of success in the grand scheme of things. Had the business been done properly in the Summer then we might be a little bit closer to Man City than we currently are. That is an indictment of the way the Club has been managed recently. Arsene Wenger remains under pressure, and a finish outside the top four could yet see his reign end prematurely. I hope that he can prove us all wrong, and that we are celebrating something tangible (not just fourth place) come May.
Before the season started I predicted a sixth-place finish for Arsenal. As I left the game at Ewood Park I felt (and so did many others that were there) that we were in a relegation battle. It is to the credit of the players that we have had an excellent group stage in the Champions League, and that we are more than competitive in the Premier League. We have something to look forward to, and that is more than we had back in September. I’m optimistic for our prospects in the second half of the season, and I didn’t think I would be.

I’ll post a brief preview of the Wolves game tomorrow morning.

Aston Villa 1 - 2 Arsenal - Benayoun comes to the fore

Yossi - delivered when Arsenal needed

I've only really seen the Match Of The Day highlights from last night so I can't really comment too much on what happened in the game. It seems that Villa had the better of things for large parts of the match, but the makeshift defence stood up pretty well (apart from the goal), and Szczesny was outstanding again. The team selection was interesting, with Coquelin coming in at right-back. I hope that Miquel has got a knock, and wasn't simply dropped from the squad last night as he did nothing wrong at Manchester City (or in any other game he has played this season in the first-team). From what I've read it appears that Emmanuel Frimpong struggled last night, but we shouldn't be expecting too much from teenagers coming in to the side like that. The introduction of Tomas Rosicky (in place of Frimpong) seemingly sparked the boys in to life going foward, for the first time in the game, but I think he might well be gone within the next few weeks.
The penalty decision was an easy one for the referee. Theo's turn was excellent, and the foul silly. Robin Van Persie was not going to die wondering with his penalty as it was smashed emphatically in to the roof of the net. I really hope he can get the goals he needs against Wolves and QPR to break Shearer's record. Later in the game the referee had an even easier decision to make for another Arsenal penalty, but inexplicable booked RVP for diving. This yellow card MUST be rescinded. The decision was scandalous and could have easily cost Arsenal the points on the night. I think the only time I've seen this ref before was in a game at Goodison Park the other week when he made a similarly outrageous call. Just add him to the list of incompetent idiots.
Villa's goal was a giveaway by Arsenal. I suspect Mertesacker is going to get stick for his part in it but, for me, the fault lies with Thomas Vermaelen. The Verminator should have cleared his lines and hooked the ball away up the line. Instead of that he sold Mertesacker too short with a poor pass across the defence, and Albrighton showed his pace and skill to finish well under Szczesny. Albrighton looks a real prospect, and I'm surprised he's been so peripheral at Villa this season, though McLeish doesn't like skill in his team, does he?
If Arsenal had conceded the winner in the same way then we would be going mental about it - one of the shortest men on the field scoring with an unchallenged header inside the six-yard box. I am delighted for Benayoun. The little Israeli looks a real trier when he comes on, and he should have had far more game time than he has enjoyed since signing for the Club. When you see Arshavin coming on week after week, and ponceing about without any effort whatsoever, you have to wonder why Benayoun and Chamberlain have spent so long kicking their heels. I would not be disappointed at all if Arsenal landed Benayoun on a permanent deal - he would be a first-class squad player, with plenty of experience and quality.
The win last night was incredibly important. Coming off the back of the mugging in Manchester it was crucial that the three points were won. Liverpool failing to win at Wigan was a bonus, and now we need a draw between Tottenham and Chelsea tonight to set us up nicely for Christmas (hopefully with a serious injury or two on both sides, and maybe a 22 man brawl which leads to points deductions and suspensions galore).
I will cover this more in the pre-Christmas post, assessing the season to now, but to be in this position is a pleasant surprise following the start we had.

I'm quite pleased the Wolves game has been put back by 24 hours. I would not have been attending the 3 o'clock kick-off had it been on Boxing Day (what is wrong with midday, like we used to have?) By moving the game I will now be in my usual seat, and that is a bonus. The pre-Christmas assessment piece will, hopefully, go up tomorrow night, with the briefest of posts to follow on Christmas Eve. After last night I am in the mood for a very good Christmas, and I finish work for the holiday at 8am tomorrow. Get in.

Villa (a) match preview, Szczesny talks too much at times, Upsetting the Northerners

Szczesny - finishing above Tottenham is NOT Arsenal's ambition

It's another game on the road tomorrow as the boys go to Villa Park. The Villans are now, of course, managed by a man Arsenal fans see as a genuine villain - Alex McLeish. It could be argued that the past few years of no trophies have seen us dealt killer blows by McLeish's players. Lest we forget that our Championship challenge began to implode at Birmingham in 2008, and the Carling Cup Final also saw us throwing silverware away against his second-rate bunch of chancers. It's fair to say that we owe McLeish, and we owe him big.
The defence is weakened further by the absence of Johan Djourou. This will see young Miquel coming in at left-back, and the spectre of Squillaci now looms large on the bench, I suspect. With Alex Song suspended there is no other cover at centre-half, and Nico Yennaris' appearance for the Reserves yesterday would indicate he is not going to be involved in the first-team any time soon, which would have eased the burden on one of those playing out of position. Song, I would imagine, will be replaced by either Frimpong or Coquelin. I would prefer to see Frimpong in there for his physicality, though his tendency to dive in could cost us set-pieces in dangerous areas.
We are entering the week in which Arsene is most likely to want to rotate one or two players. I think that, had we won on Sunday, he might have put Van Persie on the bench tomorrow. Having lost at City it is a risk that simply can't be taken I hope. Arshavin was a disgrace again when he came on in Manchester, so I would be apoplectic if he starts ahead of Walcott or Gervinho. Yossi Benayoun, however, is well overdue a Premier League start, and could add to the team in almost any midfield position.
It goes without saying that only a win will do for Arsenal. With Tottenham and Liverpool and Manchester United all winning at the weekend we can not slip further behind with so many points up for grabs in the next two weeks. It is a period where we will come out the other side knowing pretty much whether the season is going to be one where we challenge for a place in the European Cup, or not. A few wins, and everything changes round in our favour again. Fingers crossed it all starts tomorrow at a tough place to visit.

I was seriously annoyed with Wojciech Szczesny's comments that our "ambition" this season is to "finish ahead of Tottenham." This is exactly the sort of thing that we have ripped it out of Spurs for over the years. They have always concerned themselves with Arsenal, rather than looking to be the best themselves. The day that Arsenal start to see beating them as the be all and end all is the day that things have gone too far awry. We are Arsenal for God's sake. Forget about those mugs from Tottenham. Their performances should be of no consequence whatsoever to Arsenal Football Club, unless we're playing against them. Szczesny always has plenty to say, and it's often entertaining, but he can have a tendency to talk too much. This business is one such example. As is so often the case there is a tendency among Arsenal players to do their talking in places other than on the football pitch. Actions will always speak louder than words.

I want to draw your attention to yesterday's piece and, more particularly, the reaction it provoked from the Manchester City supporters. In the comments section I am accused of bitterness, bias and whingeing, just as I predicted I would be. It's good to see them living down to my expectations. Generally I have a lot of time for City fans, as I said in the match preview for that game, but it seems that a number of them think they are now a "big" club because they have a lot of money. One of them refers to "anti-City" pundits. Anti-City pundits? They've been so insignificant for over thirty years that most pundits probably forgot they existed before the money arrived.
The most amusing thing for me is that, amid all the allegations of bitterness and being a sore loser (regular readers will know that my usual tack after a defeat is to criticise the Arsenal players and Manager) I recalled a game at Highbury from 2000-01. It was one of Ashley Cole's early Premier League games, and he was one of the scorers in a 5-0 win for Arsenal. After the game Joe Royle, who was their Manager at the time, claimed that all of the Arsenal goals (yes, all FIVE of them) should have been disallowed for various infringements. You want to know about sore losers, and bitterness? People in glass houses and all that...