Arsenal’s Next Two Games: A Christmas Table Prediction

The next 2 fixtures for Arsenal, Man Utd, Man City and Chelsea are:

Arsenal:
Arsenal v Stoke
Arsenal v Chelsea

Man Utd:
Chelsea v Man Utd
Man Utd v Sunderland

Man City:
Man City v Everton
Newcastle v Man City

Chelsea:
Chelsea v Man Utd
Arsenal V Chelsea

The current premier league table top 4 goes:

1 Man Utd 16 20 34
2 Arsenal 17 15 32
3 Man City 17 11 32
4 Chelsea 17 19 31

My predictions would be:

Arsenal 3-0 Stoke City
Chelsea 2-1 Man Utd
Man City 2-2 Everton
Man Utd 4-1 Sunderland
Newcastle 1-3 Man City
Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea

This would lead to a premier league top 4 of:

1 Arsenal 19 15 38
2 Man Utd 18 20 37
3 Man City 19 11 36
4 Chelsea 19 19 34

Of course this is not necessarily what will happen (it would be an incredible achievement to have predicted these sets of results perfectly). It would also very beneficial for Arsenal. Furthermore, beating Chelsea is much, much easier said on paper, especially for Arsenal. Stoke, themselves haven’t been much of a windfall since they were promoted 2 seasons ago. However, this does show that we are not in too bad of a position.

Searching for Leader Ship but the Captain wants to sail away

Sherlock Holmes is recently back on TV in a BBC production that is more than decent. However, obviously this isn’t a television review.
Maybe Sherlock Holmes could quash my thoughts that we lack leadership and do his classic, spontaneous routine of picking the answer out of a big mess of questions, or players in this instance.

We’ve just lost Sol Campbell to Newcastle. We lost Gallas to God knows who. In reality we lost both to Mr. 2 year contract. Silvestre, I think I’ll survive the loss. However, our oldest player is at best an average goalkeeper but at worst a 33 year old packed with nerves. Fabianski maybe you could forgive for being nervous, even at 25, but Almunia is supposed to be our most experienced man, and I don’t mean player.

Then we have Cesc Fabregas, our so called captain. Great. Cesc is our most successful footballer and our greatest since our greatest, Thierry Henry. Is he our second greatest footballer ever? Dennis might have something to say about that. Certainly, Dennis gave more to the club. Well, so far it’s all good. Great player, experienced, albeit young and successful. Then it goes a bit down hill.

Cesc Fabregas wants to play for Barcelona. Oh dear. He might be happy staying at Arsenal for one or (optimistically on my part) two seasons, but we are not his first choice. A captain should be the mainstay of the team. It should be someone who helps brings players to the club, helps them settle in, someone the young players and the new signings can believe in. Cesc as Arsenal captain is a bit fake. He’s just an Arsenal player, not an Arsenal man.

Wenger mistakenly made Thierry Henry captain, he then did the same with Gallas when Toure for some reason rejected it.

Right now, what options do we have to replace Fabregas as captain.

Gael Clichy is one. However, despite the fact he seems to be an Arsenal man, he is not the complete player at all. He often makes Gibbs look the better choice.

Robin Van Persie is not really a leader. He is the sort of player who you want to concentrate on his own game. He needs to concentrate on not getting injured, not going missing and being able to take a free kick again.

The same goes for Arshavin and Rosicky pretty much.

Then we have Vermaelen who has already played as Captain after a year. Here I do see true potential. He’s an excellent defender, a scary one too like Adams and Keown. He also seems to love playing for the club.
He has experience and it’s easy to see why, of being a captain. He’s also clearly done something I mentioned being important in a captain; driving players interest in the club, with his old team-mate Vertonghen.

But he’s only been at the club for one season. He has made mistakes which arsenal fans including myself like to remove from our memory. Whilst the captaincy should be a long-term thing, the answer is probably that we keep Fabregas in that role to continue having the true amalgam of Xavi and Iniesta right here. And hopefully for more than one year.

But with little experience alongside, surely our signings have got to be something serious from now. Koscielny will probably be a good player but Vermaelen deserves to be playing alongside better than good and better than Gallas. Maybe Mertesacker fits that mould. Would you be happy with Per Mertesacker and a Hart or Akinfeev or Marchetti (not sure about the Italian) ? Even that hope leaves us without a much needed defensive midfielder. Frimpong will end up playing too much and making mistakes, which he shouldn’t be blamed for at his age but will be because of his early thrust into the first team thereabouts.

I have a feeling this season will be another ‘close’ season. I’m not too worried about losing out on a top four place, more worried we will again ‘win’ 3rd place and ‘win’ the Champions League second round.

Wenger once did a Sherlock, with a player who might also be in contention for my second greatest player imaginary award, Patrick Vieira.

Sadly, that now distant success seems a fluke.

Last Night, Saturday Night and The Friday After Next

Well, Manchester United & Lyon have joined Bayern Munich and the soon-to-be-winners in the quarters. Presumably (although you can easily be too presumptuous in the champions league), Bordeaux, Barcelona and Sevilla will join them whilst Chelsea V Inter is too tough to call.

Bordeaux, Lyon and Sevilla would be the obvious ‘weak’ teams but would all be a more severe threat to us than Porto were or could have been. All three have better teams on paper and perform in better better leagues. Whilst Lyon have had another disappointing (by their standards) Ligue 1 season, they are always impressive in the Champions League and showed this last night and in the previous leg. Sevilla have a formidable strikeforce, with Fabiano, Kanoute and Negredo all proven goal-scorers. Bordeaux are top of the league, and despite a recent blip (they lost 1-2 to Auxerre) they are favourites to win and regain the title.

Thereon, we have Chelsea and Man U, whom Wenger said he would be more than happy to play and I would agree that we do not want to create a feeling that we cannot beat them. However, a draw to either would not set my nerves at any ease. I’d be marginally more confident against Inter Milan, as they cannot be as prepared to face us. They are still a great team though and like Barcelona (who are even better), would be an absolute test of our ability.

Bayern Munich go in the middle in terms of ‘hardness’. They wouldn’t be the worse draw and certainly not the best. They have fantastic players like Ribery, Robben and Lahm but weaknesses in defence like us. They also lack pace up front and so I’d happily play Campbell if Gallas doesn’t return soon enough.

If I had to pick one team to play it would be Bordeaux because of their little experience in the Champions League and their lack of obvious brawn. Sevilla would also be a reasonable option but I would be wary of their strikers. Lyon, I would be keen to avoid given their giant-killing ability.

Anyway, whoever we draw we’ll destroy so it doesn’t matter!

Arsenal V Hull then. This could go one of two ways.

One: They park the bus to perfection and look to sneak a goal. If we play like we did on Tuesday it shouldn’t be a problem. If we deteriorate, it will be a nervous event.

Two: They play two strikers and don’t quite park the bus often or efficiently enough and we quite comfortably win the game by 2 or 3 goals.

Either way, the onus is on how we perform. If we play like Arsenal then we’ll beat a team who plays like Hull City. I’m predicting a 4-1 win as I don’t see us not making any mistakes but I also see our confidence as sky high and I can see any of our attacking players scoring at the moment. Arshavin will get a few I reckon, Bendtner one, and Theo will grab another.

Oh, and who wants to beat that orange-faced twerp. (And I’m not talking about the cage fighter and BB winner Alex Reid – who is also a twerp, but not a Swine (like Fil Bran): 2.  informal – a person regarded by the speaker with contempt and disgust : what an arrogant, unfeeling swine!

We have been crawling up to Man U and Chelsea and are now just yards away. A major slip or two and we will overtake them. Of course, if they don’t slip up, then they deserve to win it but I can’t imagine either team not losing at least one game by May. And they still have to play each other (a draw or a Man Utd win will suit us fine).

How much more enjoyable is it to be in a title race, eh? Obviously, failure will lead to worse pain, but who wants mediocrity anyway? A Coventry football fan today said to me “I’m happy with how we’re doing” and I don’t understand that. Sure, if they were in the play-off positions he could be happy at the hope of promotion. But happy at another mid-table season? Not for me. Hopeful, yeah, as they could yet enter the play-off positions but from him to then suggest “it must be frustrating to be an Arsenal fan” was laughable.

Anyway, keep the faith strong, create that positive energy and lets bloody well win something! (Not you, Arsenal Woman’s team – you’re doing a fine job)

Pass It Sooner, Be  A One Touch Gooner.

(Unless you happen to be ready to mesmerize a defence with a Nasri-esque run and finish. That goal was phenomenal |fəˈnämənəl|adjective 1 very remarkable; extraordinary,  : the town expanded at a phenomenal rate.)

Melo and Goodeboueye

Will he or won’t he. The saga goes on and on. To be honest, I don’t think he will come to the Arsenal. Wenger doesn’t like transfers becoming so high profile, which leads to further competitors for a player’s signature and therefore, increased sums of money. Unless he is really something special, and I haven’t seen enough of him to answer that, Wenger will not sign him.

The Professor only pays 10 million + for special, special players.

Reyes had huge talent but wasn’t right for the Premier League. I think the media situations and the climate distressed him but I see him recovering and making a big career for himself. Wiltord was a loyal servant who perhaps didn’t live up to expectations. Henry was the bargain of the century, a perceived gamble which ended up nothing of the sort. WIlliam Gallas was a world cup winning, premier league star, albeit a bit of a moaner. Arshavin of course is top class, one of the best of the current crop plying their trade in Europe.

Melo is a brazilian international and is no longer just a talent but a 25 year old with consistently good performances at a great ‘stepping-stone to the top’ club, Fiorentina.

Is he our next Gilberto?

Well i’m not sure he’s quite as nice with an amalgamation of red cards and yellow cards on his CV that would frighten Patrick Vieira.

Well maybe not Pat, but it could actually be a put-off with Arsene not wanting a player who can only play half of the season due to rash challenges, which could also put the rest of the players in troublesome positions.

However, if he has the same qualities that Pat had in abundance – Power, Tackling, Stamina, then he would be a risk worth taking. Wenger hasn’t taken a risk for a while. Lets be honest, Bischoff was barely a risk and the quality of Ramsey and Arshavin were seen by all.

Of Eboue going the other way, I can only see this happening if Eboue personally asks to leave. He is a worthy squad member and obviously a good lad to have around the training pitch.

If I was to choose between Eboue and Melo, Emmanuel would have to say goodbye. However, i’d rather say Hello alone.

OTG Returns! (…) – Versatile Vermaelen Will Oust Silvestre, New Song and England’s Next Great Left Back?

Well, I’m back as you should be able to diverge from the title and it’s time to take over the world! Well…

Just Arsenal fans really.

The season of 2008/2009 is over and it was largely a disappointing one. Once again, we end the season trophy-less and I expect the cabinet is getting lonely, especially with the news it will not be retaining one of it’s trophies. 

Yes, Ajax have decided to excluded us from the tournament because we simply win every year! This is something Ajax cannot claim to do any more in any competition, not that we can to much an extent. Clearly, Ajax want to win something badly and this is shown by their bizarre inclusion of relegation dogfight regulars Sunderland. The unbeaten season seems beyond recognition as Arsenal Football Club has dithered over the last couple of seasons to 4th place finishes and quarter and semi final runs which ended with a lack of urgency, leadership and performance and ultimately disappointment.

Yet, I am not one to be all bitter with no sweet and whilst the trophy cabinet might be as bitter as Rafa Benitez after a war of words with Alex Ferguson inevitably went the Scotsman’s way , the potential is as sweet as Theo Walcott’s smile after he scored his hat-trick for England way back in September.

Alex Song no longer looks like a robot who is only able to move in one direction – Sideways. He know makes lobbed through balls (Eduardo v Burnley), simple but intelligent passes and occasionally runs with the ball. He can also play centre back very efficiently and with Thomas Vermaelen in, and able to play Centre back and on the left side of defense, I can see Mikael Silvestre’s reign ending in the near future. We have Kolo Toure and William Gallas, who contrary to various reports, I do not believe will be leaving and DJ who is firmly establishing himself as the best back up centre back in the league. That leaves Silvestre very much out of the picture and with a fairly mediocre first season under his belt, his tenure at the club does not have much reason to be prolonged. 

On the topic of exciting young defenders, we have new signing Vermaelen, revelation of 08/09 Kieran Gibbs and wealth of talented left backs which the young English U-21 International looks to have usurped to become Gael Clichy’s understudy. Armand Traore’s season faded away after a bright start as a left winger. As this where he will ultimately play? And will he get a look in next season? Pedro Botelho looks set to stay in Spain for a final season in which he must prove himself, with temperamental problems leading to a termination of his loan contract at Salamanca. He recognized this himself, stating “I have learned many things at UDS, but I recognize that the end of this year has been the worst [of his stay at the club]”.

Thomas Vermaelen was reportedly signed for somewhere in between 8 and 11 Million, although I expect the lower figure is more likely with further payments a possibility depending on Thomas Vermaelen’s achievements at the club. It’s an unusual Wenger transfer – the most he has ever payed for a centre back, although Lauren and recently, Bakary Sagna have been brought in for around the same fee. He certainly has some experience and so should be able to deal with the Premier League better than Senderos ever did. He is rated very highly in the Netherlands but he has not yet proven himself on the big stage – Premier League or La Liga (the Serie A arguably a second tier League these days along with the Bundesliga). Furthermore, his inclusion to the squad does not add much experience in terms of a winning mentality. Belgium are hardly the most successful country and the most he has won with Ajax are the KNVP Cup (Dutch equivalent to the FA Cup) and the Johann Cruyff Shield (Equivalent to the Charity Shield) twice. This is, however, more than most who grace the club at the moment. He does score goals, not in abundance, but a healthy amount – with a similar record to William Gallas (albeit for a shorter period and not in a Top Tier League). Time will tell whether he is a worthwhile signing and I’m sure, with Wenger’s usual prudence in transfer dealings, the sum of money will not weigh too much on our minds.

Kieran Gibbs had a fantastic season in which he proved his all-round qualities. He shows the ability to defend and attack, with the pace of Armand Traore but also raw tenacity, passing ability, positioning and consistency. However, he is not the finished article as we have seen but subtle mistakes. The one against Manchester United was not so subtle and, although anyone could have made that mistake, his reaction for the next 35 or so minutes before he was taken off show that he is not quite ready. Losing Clichy would be a disaster right now. In two years though – I’m not so sure. A tidy profit and a readymade replacement would not be so bad. Kieran Gibbs could certainly gain even more experience soon as his impressive performances for the England U-21s and Wenger’s expectation that he will gain a senior squad place soon give him as good a claim as anyone to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Theo Walcott and the petulant Cashley Cole. We could also have Pedro Botelho soon, and I say could because his attitude is not quite right and this needs a total overhaul if he is to be equipped to put on the Red and White jersey worn by such great left backs as Kenny Sansom and Nigel Winterburn.

 

That is all for today. But for now:

Pass it sooner! Be a One Touch Gooner!