Please give Tony a job at Arsenal & Higuain, Rooney, Fellaini etc - the FACTS

The Skipper

Just before I was nine years old Tony Adams replaced Kenny Sansom as Arsenal Captain. He would remain Skipper until I was twenty-three. In that time Arsenal had a pretty much unbroken spell of success, and a lot of it was down to the leadership of Tony Adams. It was a sad day when the injuries finally became too much for TA6 and he had to retire. Since then he has seemingly been on a constant path towards his destiny, and some kind of return to Arsenal.

I think 100% of Arsenal supporters have long since realised he wouldn't be a particularly good bet as a Manager, but as the number two he has some pedigree - he was Redknapp's assistant when Portsmouth won the FA Cup. I'm sure most Gooners would agree that Andrey Arshavin might have been somewhat more inclined to put in a shift had Tony been knocking about in the changing room. However, public appearances from Tony have left me with a feeling of indifference. He comes across as a man on the edge of some sort of breakdown all the time, and his deliberate attempts to portray himself as a thinking man when he does some punditry just make him look odd. His absence from the final day at Highbury was a notable one and gave rise to some rumours of a rift of some kind with Arsene Wenger (I don't really believe those rumours, and his employment with Portsmouth may well have been preventing him from being at Arsenal on that special day).

Yesterday I woke to stories of Adams claiming he should be on the Arsenal Board, and he had written to Peter Hill-Wood offering himself to Arsenal in any capacity they saw fit. I do think Arsene Wenger has kept Tony at arms length from Arsenal, and such pronouncements perhaps give an indication as to why. Tony may well be a bit of a loose cannon for Arsene to have to deal with. It seems like he is desperate to be involved at HIS Club, but for whatever reason he can't find an "in" at Arsenal.

In my view Tony Adams should be doing something at Arsenal. Sadly, his overall character, and the way he comes across, limits the roles he could carry out. Having claimed he should be on the Board, he has now followed it up by advising Wayne Rooney against moving to Arsenal - what kind of director would he make when advising World Class talent to avoid us? Similarly he would be unable to fill the role that Bobby Charlton and Bryan Robson have at Manchester United, or Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush at Liverpool. However, for his own sanity, and to keep him from making any more embarrassing public statements, I want Adams to be found a job at the Club. Tony did enough for Arsenal in his twenty years as a player to justify a job now that he appears to be a little bit desperate.

 

The silly season really is getting beyond unbearable. Every day some website or newspaper gives a conflicting "report" on the latest on such and such a player and their potential transfer. This past week Gonzalo Higuain has been everything from a signed and sealed Arsenal player to being on the verge of joining Juventus, depending on which website you look at. Three weeks ago Arsenal had "triggered the release clause" of Marouane Fellaini, according to the Daily Mirror. Just three days later the same journalist reported that Arsene was getting cold feet over Fellaini as he felt he was over-priced. Of course, nothing has happened with Fellaini. Nothing of note seems to have happened with Higuain either, though that is a deal I can see happening. Among other players "linked heavily" is Wayne Rooney. The thing is that the sites and news companies "linking" these players (among myriad others) know no more than you or I when it comes to who Arsenal may or may not be in for. These sites are in the business of getting as many clicks on their pages as possible, thus satisfying their advertisers, so they make up sensationalist rubbish to draw in idiots. A number of Arsenal blogs do the same by way of cleverly ambiguous headlines, specifically designed to get you clicking on them to find out if they are "in the know" over the latest on Cesc Fabregas moving back to Arsenal, or some such other nonsense. I fully expect this post to go big on NewsNow simply because of the headline I've it.

Regular readers will know my policy here on the "gossip" of transfers. I won't indulge in it as almost all of it is made up. I'd rather deal in the facts. And where Arsenal transfers are concerned there is simply one fact - only Arsene Wenger and Ivan Gazidis genuinely know who we are interested in and bidding for, right up to the point that a bid is accepted. So stop reading these spurious websites and tabloid newspapers. Get out there and enjoy the break from the stress that the season will bring you. When someone is signed we'll hear about it soon enough (though Arsenal have become annoyingly particular about such announcements). In the meantime, let's watch the cricket or something.

Rollercoaster primed

So the fixtures are out (sort of). Of course we now have to wait until Sky and BT have had their say on how we spend our weekends this Autumn, but we at least have a vague idea of what we have to contend with and when.

Last night Red Action were trumpeting their “source” with the reliable news that we would play host to Southampton on the first day of the season. In fairness, they’ve been correct on this for the last couple of years, but I couldn’t have been more amused to find that they had it completely wrong. A home game with Aston Villa is what we actually have to look forward to on day (or weekend) one. I would have thought it unlikely that we’ll be a TV game unless we do spend some of the many millions on a big name or three between now and the TV announcement in July.
The away fans will be delighted to be going to Fulham in August which should make the annual boat trip down the Thames more popular than ever. That gives us two extremely winnable matches to open up with. And then come the swamp dwellers for their annual ransacking of the away end toilets. We played them early on in both Title winning seasons under George Graham so maybe there’s a small omen for success in there.
November, traditionally a bad month under Arsene Wenger (though not so much in recent times) sees consecutive games against Liverpool and Manchester United, with a Champions League tie in between. I would say that, apart from the qualifier we have to get through in the European Cup, that week is the first genuine test of our credentials – assuming we’ve got off to a good start, that is.
I’m very happy that Boxing Day provides an away game at West Ham. I don’t like Boxing Day football and no longer go to any home match played that day. The added bonus of it being at West Ham means it may well be televised, so everyone’s a winner. Before that we have Chelsea and Manchester City in our two games preceding Christmas, so let’s hope the man in the red suit has on the “nice” list this year.
The run-in to our season is not too bad. Everton away in early April is our toughest match, on paper, at the sharp end of the year. However, I am disappointed to note that we finish the campaign away from home yet again. The clamour for tickets at Norwich on the final day could be massive if we’re going to the wire for the Title. Right now I’d take that particular scenario.
I haven’t looked too much at the fixtures of the other sides, though I notice that Man Utd play Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City in their first five games. By the time they get to October Mr Moyes could be under some intense pressure should results not be particularly positive. On the other hand, if United get to the last eight games of the season anywhere close to the top then you can pretty much engrave their name on the trophy again, such is the lack of dangerous opposition they are due to face.
Maybe it’s a little early to get too excited about the new season, but this is certainly the start of the good stuff. Today is the beginning of the countdown to 2013-2014 and a brief look at the BBC website will show you Arsenal are in their rightful place at the top of the re-set Premier League table. Now for some signings. I hope.

Actions speak louder than words

Last minute sales push?

 

 

Ivan Gazidis busied himself yesterday with the press in order to tell all (or not very much, actually) about Arsenal's new found riches. We are about to re-join the big boys financially as the stadium debt is managed down still further. Arsenal have the money to spend £25m and £200k+ per week on any player the Manager wishes to, though he won't talk about individuals. Some wonderful soundbites to get the Gooners all a quiver as the transfer window opens wider. Except that soundbites is all they are right now. Coming just twenty-four hours before membership renewals close for next season the timing seems rather suspicious, does it not? And haven't we heard it all before anyway? I'd have been far more excited had Ivan invited favoured members of the press pack to Arsenal and shocked them by rolling out a major signing, as we did with Sol Campbell in 2001. All the time we are hearing the talk, but not seeing anything to show for it, I remain sceptical of anything Gazidis says in public.

Ivan is a very fine speaker and would make a good politician, such is his ability to spin and say the right things at the right time. Many continue to fall in to the trap he is setting by getting all excited and bandying around their fantasy football names for who we will bring in. Until such time as a World Class player is signed for big money I'll continue to ignore what Gazidis is coming out with.

There is a school of thought that things feel different this year, and I do feel that to a certain extent. Yes, we've heard year after year that the Manager has money to spend if he wants it, despite obvious evidence to the contrary. If Ivan's comments about new found riches are true then we know that Arsenal have been dishonest with the fans since we left Highbury. Personally, I would have far rather had the honesty that we were broke all along than be told we had the ability to sign players but chose not to. I'm sure patience with Arsene Wenger would have been greater from many fans had we been told the truth all along. Instead we were told that he was the man choosing to do the job with one hand tied behind his back. Now I don't really know who or what to believe. Again, only signings will prove we are serious this time.

In the absence of a major signing I have to believe that yesterday's very well timed statements were nothing more than a cynical attempt to get those in two minds to renew their Arsenal memberships. If people are that naïve then they should be prepared to be let down again. I renewed mine last week as the purchasing of top names is not a pre-requisite of my continued support, though I can't deny I'm all in favour of competing off the pitch in order that we can compete on it.

To add to my feeling of cynicism there were two very well placed stories breaking last night to get people sitting up and taking notice. The first involved a report on Sky Sports News that Arsenal were to announce a "record" deal imminently. It was a vague headline that probably has more to do with sponsorship deals (specifically Puma) than it does with a signing. The second was a Daily Telegraph report that Arsenal had "triggered the release clause" for Marouane Fellaini at Everton. People were seriously getting out of their prams at the prospect last night, and I would be delighted to see him at Arsenal (though I don't know how many games he would actually complete once referees saw him wearing an Arsenal shirt). If I could just temper that excitement briefly I would point to the seemingly reliable and respectable Telegraph being the same paper that reported Mark Hughes was giving a new contract to Jermaine Pennant, just a couple of hours before Stoke announced he was being released yesterday.

Nothing to see here? Who knows, but I am a cynical human being who won't believe it until I see it. Enough words. Let's see some signings.

How Bayern Munich proved Wenger was right the first time

The bench mark

While we wait with baited breath for Arsene Wenger to spend that mountain of cash he's sitting on I have to find things to write about for this site. In a year where there's a major championship that's not too difficult. In a year where there is no Summer tournament it becomes a little less easy. However, I do have some things lined up to fill the gaps that lie ahead and I hope that Arsene does the rest by brining in some quality. He's certainly started on the right foot by bombing out some of the dead wood, and freeing up a massive chunk of money that was being wasted on their wages. What you won't get on this site is any comment on the "gossip" surrounding transfers. If a signing is announced, or looks like a stick-on deal, then I'll write about it. Otherwise, there will be nothing to say on here, as is the policy.

On with the business of the day and I want to share a piece I mentioned at the beginning of last week with regards to Bayern Munich and what their winning of the European Cup and, more particularly, their thrashing of Barcelona tells us about Arsene Wenger's methods.
When Arsene arrived at Arsenal he had already secured the signing of Patrick Vieira. At well over six-feet tall Vieira was quite the sight in an English midfield. He was joined by Emmanuel Petit, and later by Gilberto Silva and Edu. Out wide there was pace in the shape of Overmars and Parlour, and later with Pires and Ljungberg and Sylvain Wiltord (Parlour's qualities allowed him to move all across the midfield and slot in anywhere with comfort). In short, Wenger had identified that pace and power in the middle of the pitch was the way to dominate English football. These physical specimens in the centre were simply too strong, too quick, too skillful and too powerful for just about every other team to handle. The performance of Petit and Vieira at Old Trafford in March 1998 was a seminal moment in the English game as Arsenal showed themselves to be the side that could beat Manchester United in every department. The two Frenchmen were an unstoppable force over the next couple of years. Added to this physicality was the searing pace of Overmars and co and, with the exception of Parlour (who only chipped in occasionally) the ability to score lots of goals from wide. Behind this midfield was a trio of inter-changeable centre-backs in Adams, Keown and Bould. They were flanked by the two defensively brilliant full-backs, Dixon and Winterburn. The fact that both men were also more than capable to supplementing the attacking play of this team was a huge bonus. Put together with the World Class goalkeeper in David Seaman the side had a solid base. Within a few years the defence had changed and Sol Campbell, Kolo Toure, Ashley Cole and Lauren provided the same qualities at the back, with another great goalkeeper in Jens Lehmann replacing Seaman. Throughout these halcyon days there was the genius of Dennis Bergkamp to link midfield with whichever prolific centre-forward Wenger was employing. Between 1997 and 2005 (Wenger's golden era) we always had someone scoring goals for fun, whether it was Ian Wright (for half of 97-98), Nicolas Anelka or Thierry Henry, Bergkamp had a man up front who could benefit from his peerless quality. In short, Arsene Wenger had found the blueprint for success in this country. For some reason he couldn't turn it in to European success. And then came Barcelona.
The great Barcelona team of the last seven years was built differently from Wenger's great Arsenal sides. There was an emphasis on small, quick, technical players. They beat Arsenal, of course, in the European Cup Final. By that time Arsene had already begun to change things. Out had gone the likes of Vieira and Edu and Parlour and Lauren and Wiltord. Pires, Campbell and Cole were also on their way out. In their places had come Fabregas, Hleb, Eboue, Flamini and Clichy. Soon arriving would be Rosicky and Nasri, while the likes of Gilberto were to become marginalised. It was often termed "project youth" by Arsenal fans as that seemed to be what Wenger was going with. In hindsight it should have been "project Barcelona" as that was what he was trying to emulate. The difference was that they had Xavi and Iniesta and Ronaldinho (and later Messi). We had Nasri, Flamini and Hleb. We also abandoned having a World Class goalkeeper and the centre-backs gradually got worse and worse. In terms of the copying of Barcelona that was fine, as they have never had a defence or goalkeeper worthy of the name. Thierry Henry would leave the following year, so Barca had him and Samuel Eto'o to play up front. We had Emmanuel Adebayor who thought he was in that sort of company but really never was. Arsene's midfield midgets couldn't win in England, never mind in Europe.
So we come to this year, and it seems that Bayern Munich have re-written the blueprint for success once again. But how have they done it? Well, if you look at their side it has more than a look of Wenger's great teams about it. They have the best goalkeeper in the World in Manuel Neuer. They have attacking full-backs in Lahm and Alaba who can spring forward at any time to create from wide, but who know that their main job is to defend. Lahm's performance at our place this season was a case in point. For an hour he was the outlet, but when Oxalde-Chamberlain came on down Arsenal's left he sat at right-back and snuffed out the threat. Their only weakness at Bayern is centre-half where Dante and Jerome Boateng are no Tony Adams or Sol Campbell. In midfield they have Bastian Schweinsteiger, the best central midfield player in the World, for me. Out wide they have the pace and goalscoring of Ribery and Robben. At times that pair can be unstoppable, if only Robben would learn to pass the ball. Up front they have had Mario Gomez (who is about to move on, apparently) and/or Mario Mandzukic and Claudio Pizarro. With Thomas Muller playing the Bergkamp role (not in the same class, mind you) they have basically taken the Wenger model and won everything. Bayern play the same fast, physical, skillful attacking game that Wenger's great teams did, rather than the slow possession game of Barcelona and the modern Arsenal side. With Javi Martinez and/or Anatoliy Tymoschuk in midfield they also have their Petit/Edu/Gilberto type who will defend and mix it with the opposition as necessary.
If only Arsene had kept doing what he was doing we might have had a better time since 2005. I hope he can see what has happened and realises that he must go back to his original plan to be successful again. The power of Bayern was too much for the art of Barcelona. I know what I prefer to watch, and it is the Wenger side of ten years ago, rather than the one of now.

A single pass shows the class of Oxlade-Chamberlain

A bit of class

In spite of my indifference towards the sideshow that is international football I have watched both the England matches this past week. I actually attended the Ireland game at Wembley and, much to my own surprise, I quite enjoyed the contest. The press quickly picked on the match and called it dull, but I have to disagree. I thought there were plenty of chances created, especially by England after half-time, and it was a decent game of football as international friendlies go.

Two Arsenal players have been involved in this current England squad and they both had large parts to play in each of the games. In the first-half against Ireland I thought Theo Walcott did okay, but I was disappointed by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. After half-time I though The Ox was much improved, while Theo was pretty much the star of the show. Walcott combined really well with Phil Jones and Wayne Rooney (who got stick in the papers for his display – his range of passing in the second-half, from a deeper role, was outstanding). That trio were pretty much at the heart of most of what England did well as the majority of attacks came from that right wing area. Ox really got more involved once Rooney had stepped back and started pinging the ball about as this opened space further ahead for him to run into. Both Arsenal boys should have scored against Ireland but a combination of lacklustre finishing and an excellent display by David Forde in Ireland’s goal gave the Irish a deserved draw.

If I was an England fan, as such, I would be a bit worried after the Ireland game. Let’s be honest they are a third (or even fourth) rate side who should have been swatted by any England team. England also played the game like a proper match, in that the substitutions were kept to the standard three until the final minute when Chamberlain went off with a slight knock. After the game I was listening to Radio 5 (the traffic getting away from Wembley is no easier to navigate) and heard people saying how much Jack Wilshere is missed. Given that Jack has hardly played for England for two years I find such statements astonishing. The fact is, and Gary Lineker can moan about Roy Hodgson’s tactics all he wants, that England’s players are simply not as good as the hype would have you believe.

The Brazil game saw England get a bit of a chasing for an hour or so. Theo missed another chance I would expect him to bury but, had it not been from the best display I’ve seen by Joe Hart, it would have been embarrassing (almost as embarrassing as Ray Lewington’s non-stop screeching at players from the England bench – have some dignity man!) At 1-0 down Roy Hodgson introduced Oxlade-Chamberlain from the bench and in to central midfield. Suddenly England had a player on the pitch with a first-touch worthy of the name and the composure and ability to see and deliver a quality pass. Rooney had someone he could link up with, and Walcott had someone who would put him away down the wing.
One of the features of the first half had been Brazil passing the ball out in front of their runners, all along the ground. England, meanwhile were like park no-hopers. Two or three times Brazil played the ball down the flanks to allow their pacy wide-men to run on to it. In contrast, there were two occasions where England had opportunities to do the same. The first was wasted by Michael Carrick who played it behind Theo and out for a throw-in. The second was by Lampard who inexplicably played the ball at thigh-height towards Walcott and it was easily intercepted. Had either pass been played in the way the Brazilian’s were then Theo was in behind the defence.
When Chamberlain came on the first thing he did with the ball was control it, look up, and then play a weighted pass, all along the ground, out in front of Theo Walcott. It led to a chance on the edge of the box, after Theo pulled the ball back in to space, that came to nothing. As I was watching it I said to my wife “that’s a Brazilian pass”. It was so out of keeping with what the rest of England’s midfield had produced that it stood out so conspicuously. It also marked out the sheer quality possessed by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. To then go and score that superb goal just underlined it further. He’s had a tough season this year, but Ox has finished strongly. I think he will be a key performer for Arsenal next season. He will also be key for England – he’s the only player they’ve got (with the probable exception of Wilshere) that could take on the best at their own game and execute a quality pass.

Squad Review Part 4 - Strikers

Not Van Persie, but not bad either

 

The annual end of season squad review odyssey reaches its end today with the strikers taking centre stage. I hope that some of you find the lack of transfer gossip (or bull****) on this site a welcome distraction from the nonsense that dominates NewsNow at this time of year. Quite why people read it I will never know. Anyway, on with the show.

 

Lukas Podolski

Sixteen goals and numerous assists from forty two appearances, mostly out wide and rarely for ninety minutes. What a disastrous signing Poldi has turned out to be, eh? If you believe the press and the way they've made out Podolski has had a poor time in England then you are an absolute moron. Either that or you frequent the Gooner 2 Gooner online forum, which is basically the same thing reading some of the drivel that gets posted on there.

I was more excited about the signing of Lukas Podolski than I had been about anybody we'd brought in since Sol Campbell. A World star was joining Arsenal and I was very happy about it. He announced himself with two goals on debut in pre-season against his former team, Cologne (incidentally Robin Van Persie made his final Arsenal appearance the same day). He would go on to score at Anfield and in Montpellier to help secure crucial away wins, before bundling one in against Spurs for good measure. In the after half-time demolition of West Ham he was the pivotal figure in Arsenal's scintillating attacking play - it was the first time I'd seen Arsenal play such devastating football on the break since Henry, Pires and Ljungberg were in their pomp.

There are times when Podolski can look pedestrian and is seemingly not in the game for very long periods. At Bradford he was a waste of space, though he was not alone that night. It seemed convenient to scapegoat him for certain media types, simply because Arsenal were struggling and he was a genuinely big name. Ultimately Podolski is the arch-finisher in this Arsenal squad. Give him the ball in front of goal and he will usually score. I'd like to see him use that rocket of a left foot from distance a bit more often, but I really enjoy having Podolski at Arsenal. We need to use his talents better, but that is down to the Manager. A Summer resting and recovering from whatever niggle it was that hampered him for most of the season will be most welcome. I reckon the best is yet to come from the number nine.

 

Olivier Giroud

Another man who has had a lot of stick. I have to say that I have regularly referred to him as "Lee Chapman" because his quality is just that little bit below the top level. Giroud misses opportunities that a top striker shouldn't (though Van Stapleton and Henry missed their share at times). Given that he has had one season as the lone striker in a team that rarely plays to his aerial strength in the box I think Giroud can be quietly pleased with his contribution. He has scored a nice few goals and, as the man in reserve (with the formation we play), would be a very good squad player. Is he able to be the centre-forward at a Club that wants to win Title's? I suspect not, but that doesn't mean he isn't a very good player.

In open play I think Giroud has been quite outstanding. The man wins almost everything in the air and the other players in the team have to do much more to support him. If the likes of Walcott, Cazorla, Gervinho et al would get closer to Giroud when the ball is played forward we might find Arsenal would be more successful. I hope a top striker comes in this year, but that doesn't mean I hope Giroud is squeezed out. Play him up front with another striker and we could be on the verge of something.

 

Theo Walcott

This has been undoubtedly Theo's best season as an Arsenal player. His absence from the starting line-up in a side that didn't score in the early games was baffling. Unfortunately his contract situation was a seriously unwelcome distraction. Up until he finally signed his deal he was the most important player of our season, for me. After he signed it he became a bit more the old Theo - frustrating and ineffective, at least until the final few games when his goals came back to win us matches. To underline his importance to the side in the run up to Christmas I can only point to our disastrous results in his injury absence in early December. Theo will continue to divide opinion and will continue to annoy the hell out of all of us. He has so much he could improve on, but credit where it's due - without him this season we wouldn't be in the European Cup come August.

 

Andrey Arshavin

What a terrible waste. What a terrible shame. For me Arshavin has more ability than almost anyone we've had at Arsenal. He should have been up there with the legends, such is his quality. Sadly there is something missing in the total package. The little Russian has wasted his talent after such a spectacular beginning at Arsenal.

In fairness to Arshavin I thought he was very good in the League Cup games against Coventry and Reading, but that was as good as it got this season. You could argue that he has a right to be annoyed and disheartened at seeing the likes of Gervinho playing ahead of him but, had he applied himself and made the most of his exceptional ability, Gervinho would be nowhere. It wasn't meant to end like this for Arsenal and Arshavin, but we'll always have his first goal against Blackburn, his performance at Anfield, and the greatest night we've yet had in the new stadium against Barcelona. I feel privileged to have been there that night to see Arshavin score to beat the best side I've ever seen. He may have been a waste of space at times, but so was Charlie Nicholas. Thanks Andrey, I'll remember you fondly at Arsenal.

 

Gervinho

What can you say? He started the season like a player who'd settled in the English game. Suddenly he was able to create and score goals. The one he stuck away against Chelsea was sheer class. Sadly, he didn't get close to that again. The nadir for Gerv came in the Bradford humiliation where he missed the ball completely from a couple of yards out. If I could praise him for a moment I would say that Gervinho does not hide. More's the pity, some would say. The African Cup of Nations came at the right time as it prevented Arsene Wenger from selecting him and, in fairness, he made one or two crucial contributions during the unbeaten end to the season. It looks like it's not working out for Gervinho at Arsenal and I don't think too many would be upset if he moved on this Summer.

 

Marouane Chamakh

Another man who has wasted his talent while at Arsenal. Chamakh was excellent in the first half of his first season. He's never come close to that since. I was delighted for him when he got the two goals at Reading, and he really should have been given an opportunity to challenge Olivier Giroud straight after that. As it was he was back in to obscurity again and then loaned out to West Ham where he couldn't get a game either. Surely it's now reached the end of the road for Chamakh and he can return to Bordeaux and resurrect his career.

 

Chuba Akpom

Akpom was an unused sub at Olympiacos. He was a very regular goalscorer in the U21s and youth games but whether he has a genuine future at Arsenal I would doubt. There's a difference between scoring regularly and being prolific. The fact that Giroud was the only genuine centre-forward at Arsenal other than Akpom after January, and that Arsene still never was tempted to call him up to the bench, tells me a lot.

 

Zak Ansah

Another unused sub at Olympiacos I don't see much of a future for the reserve striker from the youth set-up.

 

 

So there it is, another season over and another squad review completed. I'm off to Wembley tomorrow to watch England v Ireland. I don't have any interest in international football, but a trip to Wembley is always exciting if you're a real football fan. I'll report back at some point on Thursday.

Squad Review Part 3 - Midfielders

Arteta - crucial role this season

I really enjoyed the European Cup Final last night. The two German sides played football that looked like it was from a different, more exciting, planet than we've seen in the Premier League this season. The success of the Bayern Munich team has given me an idea for  an article that I will try to write at some point later this week, work hours depending. In the meantime here's the third instalment of the squad review, concentrating on our plethora of midfield players. This is quite a lengthy piece, but I hope you can stick with it and enjoy. Feel free to agree or disagree in the comments or on Twitter or Facebook.

 

Abou Diaby

How do you talk about Abou Diaby without constantly repeating yourself? How long do Arsenal kick the can down the road with him? We've been told twice in recent years that Abou was having a "make or break" operation to save his Arsenal career. I strongly suspect Arsene Wenger had finally concluded on the "break" option at the end of Abou's latest niggles, only for him to suffer a cruciate ligament injury. Arsenal do things the right way, of course, and that means Diaby will remain an Arsenal employee next season.

The game at Liverpool early on showed how good Diaby is. He put in a display so dominant that the comparisons to Patrick Vieira had never been more accurate. His performance was one of such pace, power and football ability that Liverpool couldn't get close. He tackled, he passed and he carried the ball with such quality that you knew just how good he could have been. This attracted opponents to him and allowed Cazorla the yard or two of space he needs to dictate the play in the attacking third. A similar performance followed for half-an-hour at home to Chelsea. Then it happened. Abou Diaby seriously injured himself in the act of kicking the football at goal from distance. It's such a shame because Diaby really is that good. The fact is, however, that he will only ever be genuinely "fit" to play maybe three or four games per season. When you're being paid what he is that is clearly unacceptable. I hope Dan Smith struggles to sleep at night.

 

Tomas Rosicky

Tommy came back in to the side, as with last year, for the final push and was seen as fairly instrumental in the run-in. He got both goals in the crucial win at West Brom and worked hard in a number of other matches - Man Utd and Newcastle being the two that stick out for me. I don't quite agree that he had the same impact as last season, and his presence pushed Cazorla out of the middle and stunted the Spaniard's impact on the side. I think Rosicky has one year left on his contract and he will be a very valuable squad member if he completes his spell at the Club next season. His willingness to run at defenders often provides us with something different in tight games, though I think Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would be a better bet for that sort of thing from now on.

 

Mikel Arteta

This will surprise regular readers but Arteta is my player of the season at Arsenal. I usually moan about the way he crabs the play across the pitch rather than playing the ball forward more often. However, Arteta has made such a sacrifice in his game this year in order to benefit the team that he is worthy of significant praise.

When Alex Song was sold we had no player who you would consider anything like a defensive midfield player. Indeed, we are all still of the opinion that Arsene must spend money to sign one (or, in my view, convert Thomas Vermaelen for the role). Arteta was asked to curb his attacking instincts for the season in order to fill Song's shoes. For me we have missed Song's ability, but Arteta has done the job pretty capably. He has done it without any semblance of a complaint about having to play out of position. He has also led the team in the absence of Vermaelen with great distinction.

If you want an illustration of Arteta's new "contribution" to the side it can be seen in the fact that he hasn't scored a single goal from open play this season. In fairness he's barely crossed the halfway line. In terms of how he's gone about his defensive duties he has made more than his share of tackles. He has become increasingly adept at getting a foot in around the edge of our penalty area, and has learned more and more to sit in should somebody else from the back launch an attack. He has also made a lot of fouls, often getting away with them. Arteta is one of these people with a reputation for not fouling. The fact is that he is more than prepared to mix it, and Arsenal have benefited from referees failure to brandish yellow cards for him.

Next season we have to see Arteta not playing in the defensive midfield position, if we are to be successful in terms of winning things and beating the top sides. That may mean he finds himself on the margins of the first-team a little more. If that's the case, then such is the way football goes, but this season he has been an outstanding and consistent performer.

 

Jack Wilshere

It's something of a riddle with Jack. Early in the season, without him, we were okay(ish). At the end of the season, without him, we were pretty good, in terms of results at least. In the middle of the season, with him, we played game after game after game where Wilshere was the shining beacon in a sea of mediocrity. Yet we couldn't win matches. With Jack playing his heart out we were a team that lacked something. Could it be that Jack's presence intimidated his own team? Were they immediately over-reliant on the only World Class player in the squad? Or is it that this formation needs to change to make the most of Wilshere's skills? These are all questions to which Arsene Wenger must find an answer.

When he was in the side Jack was kicked all over the pitch by just about every opponent. Those opponents largely went unpunished, and yet we watched it week after week. Perhaps Roy Hodgson should make himself vocal about the physical stuff meted out to his star player - his fitness ahead of a World Cup (and the need for England to qualify for it in the first place) are crucial to Hodgson's future, I would say.

If I can criticise Jack it is to say that his goals and assists (and even shots at goal) are woefully lacking. Considering the way he dominates matches his statistics are pretty woeful. I know he can shoot. I know he can create. I know he can score goals. I just wish he would start doing it as he did when he was a youngster. I see people saying he's not as good as Lampard because of his lack of goals. When I've finished laughing and foaming at the mouth at the sheer ludicrous nature of such statements I start to wish he would just score goals and shut these cretins up. First of all, he needs to get fit. That may be easier said than done, and I have a real fear that Jack Wilshere may never get to fulfil his potential.

 

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

The Ox would probably be the first to admit he struggled this season. His upward trajectory had been so steep that it had to level out at some point. He scored one of the goals of Arsenal's season in the League Cup tie against Coventry, but I thought he really let himself down that night. There was far too much "Billy Big B******s" stuff from him in the game. His season didn't much recover from that until the last few matches. Having said that he turned the game round at Bradford and was just about the only reason we put any pressure on at all that night - his pace and willingness to take on inferior players had been sorely lacking from the side to that point.

When he did finally make an impact on the season it came at home to Norwich in a game we were struggling badly in. The introduction of Ox and Podolski from the bench provided the bit of power and class required to keep the challenge for fourth place on track. On the final day he replaced Arteta early on and brought good energy and no small bit of guile to a tight midfield. It was a mark of the faith that Arsene has in him that he was trusted to take on that role in such a game, reprising his performance against AC Milan last year. There is better to come from Chamberlain, but in which position?

 

Aaron Ramsey

The Boyo has had something of a renaissance across this season. He was very much the new "Eboue" figure with the crowd early in the season (before being usurped by Gervinho in the game at Bradford) and came back strongly to be in the team as of right for the last couple of months. I still think he's often too slow, and his decision making in the final third makes Theo Walcott's look consistently good, but the work ethic Ramsey has is fantastic. Considering his injury problems he has an amazing stamina and desire to get involved. I don't know what's happened to a once impressive ability to shoot from range, but he made a crucial contribution alongside Arteta once Diaby and Wilshere were ruled out. I don't know that he's genuinely good enough to play regularly in a side that wants to challenge, but every team needs a reliable squad player.

 

Santi Cazorla

The man who is player of the season for most Gooners had an impressive impact on the Arsenal team. Cazorla was certainly the most successful of the signings from last year, announcing himself with a virtuoso display against Sunderland on the opening day. Given space he can destroy teams. One criticism is that he doesn't seem to have the ability to create that space for himself. In short, if the opposition tie him down he is completely ineffective.

For me Cazorla is terribly inconsistent. I have regularly compared him to Andrey Arshavin, though I don't think he's got as much ability as the Russian. Having said that he did provide many of the highlights of the season. From his pass to Giroud in that Sunderland game, to the win at Liverpool, the destruction of Spurs and his hat-trick at Reading, Cazorla often lit up Arsenal. He also scored a cracking goal to seal the win at Upton Park.

Considering it was his first season you'd have to say Cazorla was largely impressive. I still remain unconvinced that he is out of the top drawer but I'll be more than happily proved wrong. One note of caution, however - Manuel Pellegrini has twice signed Cazorla in Spain, and now he will have bottomless pockets at Man City. Don't be surprised if we've seen the last of Cazorla in an Arsenal shirt.

 

Francis Coquelin

It looks like Coquelin is on his way out of Arsenal this Summer. I don't blame him. For some reason Coquelin has seen little action across the season despite regularly being our best player when he did appear. If the team was selected, and allowed to play each game, based on performance then Coquelin would have been very much a part of things. Quite why he was taken off at Bradford remains a mystery that probably cost us the chance to win the game, and his absence from the matchday squad became a major bug bear of mine late on in the season. Coquelin is versatile and is by far the most capable utility player in the Arsenal squad. I am annoyed that he has not had his chance. Good luck to him.

 

Emmanuel Frimpong

I think Frimpong was heading for the exit door at Arsenal until last week when he had to have another knee operation. He couldn't get a regular game at Fulham when he joined them on loan, having not had a look-in at Arsenal. In his one start this season in the League Cup tie at Reading he had to be taken off as the weak link. You can't deny Frimpong puts in more effort than anyone else whenever he plays, but he just lacks a bit of quality.

 

Thomas Eisfeld

The young German burst on the scene in pre-season with a couple of goals and made a real impact. When he got his chance as a substitute at Reading he turned the game on its head with a fabulous display. Put together with his goalscoring exploits in the U21 side it seemed ridiculous that he couldn't get a chance to play in the first-team that was struggling so badly. However, when I saw some of the youth games towards the end of the season he seemed a shadow of the player from pre-season and was not really in the game at all. Next season will be make or break for Eisfeld.

 

Serge Gnabry

Gnabry made his Premier League bow as a sub in the awful defeat at Norwich. His willingness to have a go made a good impression on the watching Gooners and he was perhaps a little unfortunate not to get more chances as the season wore on. Serge is definitely the star of the youth and U21 teams and seems the most likely of them to have a shot at making it at Arsenal.

 

Nico Yennaris

Yennaris made his sole first-team appearance for the season at home to Coventry. He anchored the midfield very well that night, but I think his days are now numbered. Like Coquelin he is outstandingly versatile, as he showed against a rampant Man Utd in the Premier League last year. The fact that he had no other involvement with the first-team, other than as an unused sub at Reading, shows that Arsene Wenger doesn't really rate him that highly. Nico is not that young anymore and should really be banging on the door if he is going to make it. A born Gooner it would have been nice to see him come through, but perhaps it's time to move on and make a good career elsewhere.

 

 

That's the midfield covered for another year. Strikers to come over the next day or two.