The title says it all really. This is an Arsenal blog, but today called for this.
Paul Scholes has retired, and the English game has lost it's most naturally gifted players on the last 20 years.
He epitomised the Manchester United under Alex Ferguson; plenty of talent combined with a 'never say die' attitude, a thirst for winning and a knack of getting the job done.
A player who perhaps called time on his international career 2-3 years early in order to prolong his club career, was never labelled a 'Judas' by the media for doing so (unlike Jack Wilshere this summer) because he had been (the lone) truely world class player for his country. When players like Xavi refer to a player like Scholes as their role model, you know the player in question is just a little bit good.
He had it all, an exemplary timing off the killer pass, vision on the pitch comparable to our Cesc, hopeless at tackling but ahd the balls to get stuck in, and the rather annoying knack of scoring REALLY important goals against The Arsenal. The ginger bastard had the lot.
For that reason I hated him so much, probably more so then any other United player (prior to Ruud Van Horseface), yet he was the one player I would have taken from United and put in 'my' Arsenal team. What we could have done with a Paul Scholes these last 6 years. We most certainly wouldn't have had the late-spring collapses we've become accustomed too.
Paul Scholes: What a prick, but what a player. He'll be sorely missed by United (not by Arsenal fans).
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Tuesday 31 May 2011
Sunday 29 May 2011
Sitting firmly on the fence
Afternoon all,
This post has been waiting since Friday, but it's something that's needed to be said for a long while. Others have touched upon it's content and now that the football season has finished and the silly season has begun I thought I'd throw my thoughts out at it.
On Friday i was labelled as an AKB. I told said labeller to "fuck right off" before ending my conversation with him. I just don't get it.
Why as supporters of one club do we have this 'civil war'? fair enough we have different ideals of how the manager should deal with the team an how the board should deal with the manager, but just because you think differently doesn't mean you have to force your opinion down the throat of others. That my friends is what is known as "bollocks".
Opinions have to be respected and not shot down, but not enforced on others.
For my part, I think Wenger should have this summer to rectify the mess of this Arsenal team he has created; if at the end of next season thing haven't changed and we (again) crumble like a digestive biscuit then I think it will be time for the club to say "Thanks Arsene" and move him up to a director of football position or move him on completely. Either way bring in someone new, fresh and re-invigorate the club. I'm neither part of the AKB or the InArseneWeRust. I'm a fan or The Arsenal. Nothing more, nothing less. Deal with it fuckers!!!
For what it's worth I think it would be a good idea to keep AW within the club if such a situation arises but I would complete understand if he left completely.
As it stands however we haven't reached that point in time yet, AW will be leading this team into next season and will be looking to improve the side over the next 10 weeks. So can we at least try to all get along for the next 10 weeks? Please? Fuck all the 'AKB' Vs 'In Arsene We Rust' shit, all of that can resume again in due course. Lets just see what AW does before we again take arms against each other. eh?
Up The Arse!!
This post has been waiting since Friday, but it's something that's needed to be said for a long while. Others have touched upon it's content and now that the football season has finished and the silly season has begun I thought I'd throw my thoughts out at it.
On Friday i was labelled as an AKB. I told said labeller to "fuck right off" before ending my conversation with him. I just don't get it.
Why as supporters of one club do we have this 'civil war'? fair enough we have different ideals of how the manager should deal with the team an how the board should deal with the manager, but just because you think differently doesn't mean you have to force your opinion down the throat of others. That my friends is what is known as "bollocks".
Opinions have to be respected and not shot down, but not enforced on others.
For my part, I think Wenger should have this summer to rectify the mess of this Arsenal team he has created; if at the end of next season thing haven't changed and we (again) crumble like a digestive biscuit then I think it will be time for the club to say "Thanks Arsene" and move him up to a director of football position or move him on completely. Either way bring in someone new, fresh and re-invigorate the club. I'm neither part of the AKB or the InArseneWeRust. I'm a fan or The Arsenal. Nothing more, nothing less. Deal with it fuckers!!!
For what it's worth I think it would be a good idea to keep AW within the club if such a situation arises but I would complete understand if he left completely.
As it stands however we haven't reached that point in time yet, AW will be leading this team into next season and will be looking to improve the side over the next 10 weeks. So can we at least try to all get along for the next 10 weeks? Please? Fuck all the 'AKB' Vs 'In Arsene We Rust' shit, all of that can resume again in due course. Lets just see what AW does before we again take arms against each other. eh?
Up The Arse!!
Monday 23 May 2011
Now that's over with....
Not the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon was it? With as much drive and conviction as Rover Metro our entierly fallible team limped over the line in 4th place, while our captain was back home visiting the rellies at the Spanish F1 grand prix.
Now, I've no real bother that he was there, my bother is that he didn't want to be in attendance for the last game of the season to support his team. I fully understand that the club policy is that players don't attend away games, but surely a bit of common sense should have prevailed here from our club captain? If you're going to take pictures and put with your family on the day of your club's last game f the season DON'T PUT THEM ON TWITTER. Capiche?
The game itself was a damp squib. Fulham defended well without every really having to do too much, and they scored two really soft goals. I've seen the 1st attributed to Djourou, but I think it was Gibbs' fault. He tried to close out Dempsey but failed to spot TV5 already had closed him down. This left Zamora free on the right in acres of space....
The 2nd? well what can you say, Johnson was allowed to run across the width of our box without a challenge, before Greening found space to dink the ball to Zamora to head home from close range. With this goal I've seen people on twitter and the media saying it was TV5's error, but if Djourou intends to mark an opponent and then lave him to mark fresh air instead he'd better let his fellow CB know about it...
JD's fall from grace has been alarming over the last 2 months. Going from a player who hadn't lost a league game with Arsenal when starting, to being of the the main culprits in the defeats at Bolton & Stoke and now another average display against Fulham, more than a suggestion that he may not be first or 2nd choice to partner TV5 next season. Kos6's displays have improved steadily throughout the season and I think he's been hard done by in the criticism he's received this year, especially as it's his first season, for my money he'll get the nod.
Once again we had RVP doing what he does best (scoring, not taking free kicks - seriously can someone else start taking these please? he must be banging them in at training) and a markedly improved performance from Diaby gave me hope yet that there's a brilliant footballer inside trying to break free from the injury-ravaged/immature/laxidasical/inconsistent outer-shell
Our away fans were again excellent with some brilliant chants. See Vital Arsenal or @arse2mouse and @LittleDutchVa 's timelines for more on them. "We defended a corner!". Brilliant.
Apparently a "busy summer" is ahead. I won't hold my breath.....
Now, I've no real bother that he was there, my bother is that he didn't want to be in attendance for the last game of the season to support his team. I fully understand that the club policy is that players don't attend away games, but surely a bit of common sense should have prevailed here from our club captain? If you're going to take pictures and put with your family on the day of your club's last game f the season DON'T PUT THEM ON TWITTER. Capiche?
The game itself was a damp squib. Fulham defended well without every really having to do too much, and they scored two really soft goals. I've seen the 1st attributed to Djourou, but I think it was Gibbs' fault. He tried to close out Dempsey but failed to spot TV5 already had closed him down. This left Zamora free on the right in acres of space....
The 2nd? well what can you say, Johnson was allowed to run across the width of our box without a challenge, before Greening found space to dink the ball to Zamora to head home from close range. With this goal I've seen people on twitter and the media saying it was TV5's error, but if Djourou intends to mark an opponent and then lave him to mark fresh air instead he'd better let his fellow CB know about it...
JD's fall from grace has been alarming over the last 2 months. Going from a player who hadn't lost a league game with Arsenal when starting, to being of the the main culprits in the defeats at Bolton & Stoke and now another average display against Fulham, more than a suggestion that he may not be first or 2nd choice to partner TV5 next season. Kos6's displays have improved steadily throughout the season and I think he's been hard done by in the criticism he's received this year, especially as it's his first season, for my money he'll get the nod.
Once again we had RVP doing what he does best (scoring, not taking free kicks - seriously can someone else start taking these please? he must be banging them in at training) and a markedly improved performance from Diaby gave me hope yet that there's a brilliant footballer inside trying to break free from the injury-ravaged/immature/laxidasical/inconsistent outer-shell
Our away fans were again excellent with some brilliant chants. See Vital Arsenal or @arse2mouse and @LittleDutchVa 's timelines for more on them. "We defended a corner!". Brilliant.
Apparently a "busy summer" is ahead. I won't hold my breath.....
Saturday 21 May 2011
A bit of role-play to find the balance
So the juggernaut that is the Arsenal Ladies team won their 11th FA cup today, and whilst watching something struck me, not only could they play football, but they could defend as a team too. Granted, Bristol didn't offer too much going forward, but, when called upon to do their jobs an air of confidence and assurance was evident throughout the back line.
Now compare this too the men's side. It's a nigh-on guarantee that they concede to their opponents first effort on target, and have they mastered the art of buckling under pressure, prompting many critics (including former players Bobby Pires and Paddy V) to point out a lack of 'English back-bone' or 'lack of experience' was the main hindrance.
Now obviously there is an unquantifiable difference between the men's and women's game, but overall the games follow similar patterns, in that Arsenal's Ladies boss possession and territory, like to play 'tippy-tappy' stuff in the middle of the park and have been known to squander numerous gilt-edged chances this season (sound familiar?).
But the Arsenal Ladies have something the men's team doesn't. Balance.
To match the skill/vision/quick feet of Kim Little there's Katie Chapman doing 'the messy stuff'.
For all the trickery on the wing of Rachel Yankee there is an out and out centre forward in Julie Fleeting.
Everyone knows their role in the team and they stick to it. This simply doesn't happen in the men's team. Take Alex Song, a player who has matured beyond recognition over the last 2 years, and is our leading defensive midfielder. DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER. Now, I don't know about you, but my heart isn't in my mouth when I see him bombing forward and trying to create chances, it's left my body entirely and gone into outer space. Even Wenger has said that he doesn't like it, so why is Song doing it? "Ohh for a Gilberto...."
You can also apply it to our centre backs, especially Djourou, who time after time squander possession when trying to bring it forward themselves. "Just give it to Cesc or Jack!"
Why do they do it? Why doesn't this team stick to it's job? Another case in point, Theo Walcott. A quick winger who is able to run behind the last line of defence or at the full back, yet does it rarely. I haven't done the chalkboard analysis, but I'd imagine that most of his passes are ~5 yards and go backwards to Sanga (who invariable crosses the ball, turning over possession). Why isn't Theo running at the full-back every time? Or making runs in behind consistently? I can't remember him doing it once against Villa last Sunday. Obviously Walcott isn't a great winger, so why does he play there? He's much happier playing through the middle and most of his goals have come this season when he has run onto a through-ball down the middle. Why not play him there Arsene? Just an idea....
This season has been a muddle, this team is muddle, and most of that muddle revolves around the formation (or lack of it). Wenger clearly doesn't trust Fabregas as part of a midfield two, so plays Jack in there to add more 'stability'. We have Nasri playing out wide, yet while Cesc was out injured he played in the middle and was banging the goals in from all angles. Bar the keeper, the defence and Cesc, I think you could say the entire team is played out of their 'natural' position or are asked to fulfil a role not suited to them, Bendtner a right winger? Don't make me laugh.
This results in an inefficient team; look at Barcelona, even with the players of undoubted quality such as theirs they still stick to their roles. You don't see Busquets bombing forward in the 89th minute do you? Xavi and Iniesta get the ball and give it to the forwards. Yes these players do come up with the odd goal here and there, but that's not their role in the team and never will be. That's the role of Messi, Pedro, and Villa. As such Barcelona have a better balance in their side and as such defend more as a team.
If Laura Harvey can dictate the roles of her players and strike a balance with the Ladies team in a year after losing Kelly Smith (our Thierry Henry) why has it taken Wenger so long?
This season our 'pleasing on the eye' football has been rare, whilst at other times has been bloody boring (as much as it grates me to agree with Stoke fans); we've got a 'collection of players' not a team. They're inefficient and are all trying to do the same thing. Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass.....
I don't think Wenger's time is up yet, but he desperately needs to re-shape the squad, there is no point have 9 central midfielders and then making them play elsewhere. I couldn't care less who goes and who comes in as long as they do their job on the pitch.
What is clear though is that it'll need to be an extremely busy summer to rectify this teams flaws and find that balance.
Now compare this too the men's side. It's a nigh-on guarantee that they concede to their opponents first effort on target, and have they mastered the art of buckling under pressure, prompting many critics (including former players Bobby Pires and Paddy V) to point out a lack of 'English back-bone' or 'lack of experience' was the main hindrance.
Now obviously there is an unquantifiable difference between the men's and women's game, but overall the games follow similar patterns, in that Arsenal's Ladies boss possession and territory, like to play 'tippy-tappy' stuff in the middle of the park and have been known to squander numerous gilt-edged chances this season (sound familiar?).
But the Arsenal Ladies have something the men's team doesn't. Balance.
To match the skill/vision/quick feet of Kim Little there's Katie Chapman doing 'the messy stuff'.
For all the trickery on the wing of Rachel Yankee there is an out and out centre forward in Julie Fleeting.
Everyone knows their role in the team and they stick to it. This simply doesn't happen in the men's team. Take Alex Song, a player who has matured beyond recognition over the last 2 years, and is our leading defensive midfielder. DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER. Now, I don't know about you, but my heart isn't in my mouth when I see him bombing forward and trying to create chances, it's left my body entirely and gone into outer space. Even Wenger has said that he doesn't like it, so why is Song doing it? "Ohh for a Gilberto...."
You can also apply it to our centre backs, especially Djourou, who time after time squander possession when trying to bring it forward themselves. "Just give it to Cesc or Jack!"
Why do they do it? Why doesn't this team stick to it's job? Another case in point, Theo Walcott. A quick winger who is able to run behind the last line of defence or at the full back, yet does it rarely. I haven't done the chalkboard analysis, but I'd imagine that most of his passes are ~5 yards and go backwards to Sanga (who invariable crosses the ball, turning over possession). Why isn't Theo running at the full-back every time? Or making runs in behind consistently? I can't remember him doing it once against Villa last Sunday. Obviously Walcott isn't a great winger, so why does he play there? He's much happier playing through the middle and most of his goals have come this season when he has run onto a through-ball down the middle. Why not play him there Arsene? Just an idea....
This season has been a muddle, this team is muddle, and most of that muddle revolves around the formation (or lack of it). Wenger clearly doesn't trust Fabregas as part of a midfield two, so plays Jack in there to add more 'stability'. We have Nasri playing out wide, yet while Cesc was out injured he played in the middle and was banging the goals in from all angles. Bar the keeper, the defence and Cesc, I think you could say the entire team is played out of their 'natural' position or are asked to fulfil a role not suited to them, Bendtner a right winger? Don't make me laugh.
This results in an inefficient team; look at Barcelona, even with the players of undoubted quality such as theirs they still stick to their roles. You don't see Busquets bombing forward in the 89th minute do you? Xavi and Iniesta get the ball and give it to the forwards. Yes these players do come up with the odd goal here and there, but that's not their role in the team and never will be. That's the role of Messi, Pedro, and Villa. As such Barcelona have a better balance in their side and as such defend more as a team.
If Laura Harvey can dictate the roles of her players and strike a balance with the Ladies team in a year after losing Kelly Smith (our Thierry Henry) why has it taken Wenger so long?
This season our 'pleasing on the eye' football has been rare, whilst at other times has been bloody boring (as much as it grates me to agree with Stoke fans); we've got a 'collection of players' not a team. They're inefficient and are all trying to do the same thing. Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass.....
I don't think Wenger's time is up yet, but he desperately needs to re-shape the squad, there is no point have 9 central midfielders and then making them play elsewhere. I couldn't care less who goes and who comes in as long as they do their job on the pitch.
What is clear though is that it'll need to be an extremely busy summer to rectify this teams flaws and find that balance.
Friday 20 May 2011
And so it begins....
With Denilson's comments in The Sun we're beginning to see that the 'mental strength' of this squad isn't all it's cracked up to be.
He says he had decided to quit 8 months ago, due to a lack of winning mentality within the squad. Hopefully others within our squad hadn't given up back in October, and they waited until at least March to lose all hope.
If anything Denilson has made himself look stupid; which club, in their right mind, would splash out on a player who throws in the towel in October? The season is 2 months old! Thats not a winning mentality, that's giving up at the first opportunity, and frankly pathetic. With Wenger kept him around is beyond me.
This smacks of someone knowing they've been frozen out of the team (due to being not good enough) and has placed an advert for their 'services' (sideways passing) in a national newspaper. He hasn't got the guts or desire to put in the effort to get back into the 1st team, yet has the audactity to moan about this team not having a winning mentality? no wonder when we've got players looking for scapegoats all the time. First the 'cesc' interview and now this? Strange lad is Denilson.
A player who promised much and started his Arsenal life with a flourish of good League Cup performances (also see: Carlos Vela) has regressed dramatically this season, to the extent he can't even make the bench now.
I dare say they're will be a few more of these 'stories' to emerge from the team over the summer, but one thing is for certain, the Brazilian won't ve missed by the fans, and he won't miss the fans abuse.
He says he had decided to quit 8 months ago, due to a lack of winning mentality within the squad. Hopefully others within our squad hadn't given up back in October, and they waited until at least March to lose all hope.
If anything Denilson has made himself look stupid; which club, in their right mind, would splash out on a player who throws in the towel in October? The season is 2 months old! Thats not a winning mentality, that's giving up at the first opportunity, and frankly pathetic. With Wenger kept him around is beyond me.
This smacks of someone knowing they've been frozen out of the team (due to being not good enough) and has placed an advert for their 'services' (sideways passing) in a national newspaper. He hasn't got the guts or desire to put in the effort to get back into the 1st team, yet has the audactity to moan about this team not having a winning mentality? no wonder when we've got players looking for scapegoats all the time. First the 'cesc' interview and now this? Strange lad is Denilson.
A player who promised much and started his Arsenal life with a flourish of good League Cup performances (also see: Carlos Vela) has regressed dramatically this season, to the extent he can't even make the bench now.
I dare say they're will be a few more of these 'stories' to emerge from the team over the summer, but one thing is for certain, the Brazilian won't ve missed by the fans, and he won't miss the fans abuse.
Thursday 19 May 2011
Hope Springs Eternal
We've had this feeling for the last 6 years; yet it still seems to be a surprise to some supporters when it sneaks up on us and takes a Jaws-sized bite out of our arse.
This annual spring collapse is right up there with the best (worse) of them. We've put in some truly woeful performances this year, but in years gone by we would usually respond to said performances with a much needed morale boost. This season however after the Carling Cup defeat it seems our club has had a shotgun permanently pointed at it's feet, finger on trigger; they've lost their belief, and so have the supporters. The post match reaction after the Villa game was polar; some knew another insipid performance was due and put (smart) money on Villa winning (leading to a mixture of emotions), others seemed to be in complete shock that this Arsenal side could play so poorly and get beat by Villa, and in turn started banging the usual drums....Walcott....Bendtner....Eboue....Wenger....
The anger in the pubs of N5 afterwards was frankly bizarre, people kicking and screaming in disbelief that our full-backs were providing heading practice for the Villa defence or that Walcott thought he was in Hampton Court's maze (again), must have been on holiday with Osama Bin Laden for the last 9 months. This game summed up the Arsenal season in 45 mins, and how (sadly) these people didn't see this coming is beyond me.
Delighted to see Vermaelen back in the side, it all went wrong within 20 mins, Squillaci and Sagna the main culprits to let Bent score 2 very clinical goals. Sagna did a 'Clichy' and fell asleep, but can be excused, as he's our most consistent defender, and his mistakes are generally few and far between; Squillaci on the other hand showed that he's not good enough for the Premier League. Bought as an experienced head for the defence and never expected to play that many games as 4th choice, Wenger's loyalty to his compatriot has probably been the single biggest factor to us (once again) finishing nowhere. Is that all 8 league games we've lost this season he's started? I feel sorry for him.
After giving Villa a 2 goal start we tried to get ourselves back into the match without ever creating any chances. RVP hit the post and Ramsey should have had a penalty, yes the referee was shocking, but we know the standard throughout the league isn't good enough, why do we expect any different?
So 45 mins that contained: shoddy defending = goals, a lack of penetration from our front 3, a lack of creativity from a midfield without Cesc, missing the golden opportunities we were afforded, hitting the post and a shit referee.
Yep that's Arsenal's season alright.
That said the 2nd half was 45 mins we dominated. Why? Why do they do this to us? Play like fucking donkeys before deciding they want to try and win the game. West Brom (twice), Newcastle (h), Wigan (a), Leeds (h), Birmingham (cc final), Man U (FA cup), Blackburn (h), Liverpool (h), Bolton (a), Stoke (a), and now Villa (h). As a fan I just can't comprehend that the players would go out onto the pitch, needing motivation to win a football match, yet this bunch of players do. Even our best players get pulled into this malaise and play like absolute mugs before the switch in their heads is flicked into "winning" mode.
But here's the crux of the problem; we have SO many talented footballers at the club, but they are supported by shoddy backing singers, It's like going to see [enter best band in the world here] and ending up with Jedward.
Arsene won't change. I want him to change, but he won't. However, if Arsene could get rid of the sub-standard squad players (naming no names), keep the best we've got and supplement them with a supporting cast of players who want to play for Arsenal, will fight for 90 mins each week and aren't happy to just sit there collecting £60K a week whilst displaying all the characteristics of a crab (it's all sideways!!) then this team could become champions again.
But what are the chances of that? who knows, but we need to live in hope don't we?
This annual spring collapse is right up there with the best (worse) of them. We've put in some truly woeful performances this year, but in years gone by we would usually respond to said performances with a much needed morale boost. This season however after the Carling Cup defeat it seems our club has had a shotgun permanently pointed at it's feet, finger on trigger; they've lost their belief, and so have the supporters. The post match reaction after the Villa game was polar; some knew another insipid performance was due and put (smart) money on Villa winning (leading to a mixture of emotions), others seemed to be in complete shock that this Arsenal side could play so poorly and get beat by Villa, and in turn started banging the usual drums....Walcott....Bendtner....Eboue....Wenger....
The anger in the pubs of N5 afterwards was frankly bizarre, people kicking and screaming in disbelief that our full-backs were providing heading practice for the Villa defence or that Walcott thought he was in Hampton Court's maze (again), must have been on holiday with Osama Bin Laden for the last 9 months. This game summed up the Arsenal season in 45 mins, and how (sadly) these people didn't see this coming is beyond me.
Delighted to see Vermaelen back in the side, it all went wrong within 20 mins, Squillaci and Sagna the main culprits to let Bent score 2 very clinical goals. Sagna did a 'Clichy' and fell asleep, but can be excused, as he's our most consistent defender, and his mistakes are generally few and far between; Squillaci on the other hand showed that he's not good enough for the Premier League. Bought as an experienced head for the defence and never expected to play that many games as 4th choice, Wenger's loyalty to his compatriot has probably been the single biggest factor to us (once again) finishing nowhere. Is that all 8 league games we've lost this season he's started? I feel sorry for him.
After giving Villa a 2 goal start we tried to get ourselves back into the match without ever creating any chances. RVP hit the post and Ramsey should have had a penalty, yes the referee was shocking, but we know the standard throughout the league isn't good enough, why do we expect any different?
So 45 mins that contained: shoddy defending = goals, a lack of penetration from our front 3, a lack of creativity from a midfield without Cesc, missing the golden opportunities we were afforded, hitting the post and a shit referee.
Yep that's Arsenal's season alright.
That said the 2nd half was 45 mins we dominated. Why? Why do they do this to us? Play like fucking donkeys before deciding they want to try and win the game. West Brom (twice), Newcastle (h), Wigan (a), Leeds (h), Birmingham (cc final), Man U (FA cup), Blackburn (h), Liverpool (h), Bolton (a), Stoke (a), and now Villa (h). As a fan I just can't comprehend that the players would go out onto the pitch, needing motivation to win a football match, yet this bunch of players do. Even our best players get pulled into this malaise and play like absolute mugs before the switch in their heads is flicked into "winning" mode.
But here's the crux of the problem; we have SO many talented footballers at the club, but they are supported by shoddy backing singers, It's like going to see [enter best band in the world here] and ending up with Jedward.
Arsene won't change. I want him to change, but he won't. However, if Arsene could get rid of the sub-standard squad players (naming no names), keep the best we've got and supplement them with a supporting cast of players who want to play for Arsenal, will fight for 90 mins each week and aren't happy to just sit there collecting £60K a week whilst displaying all the characteristics of a crab (it's all sideways!!) then this team could become champions again.
But what are the chances of that? who knows, but we need to live in hope don't we?
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