This is a massive game.
To most, the FA Cup represents the best chance at silverware for our club. They've been saying this for a long time, as if they had zero faith that we could pull off a string of performances to win the Champions League. Now that we're here, we have fulfilled some people's predictions.
That being said, I would venture that these people predicted us to win the FA Cup based on heavyweights being knocked out and getting favorable draws. The latter has been true to an extent. We were awarded with home ties in the last two rounds, and that has helped our team immensely. The former has not panned out, and we're in a situation where if we were to get past Chelsea, we'd have to play Manchester United for the fourth time in six weeks. Quite simply, this is an amazing scenario that might be developing.
Chelsea, as a footballing team, has been going through a revival of sorts. Their team was literally out of ideas when we last played them at Stamford Bridge. They lost to a dodgy call, but they weren't creating anything and didn't really deserve anything from their performance.
Guus arrived, and he sorted Drogba out. I hate some of these performances they're giving, because it gives me the impression that some of these players played poorly to get Scolari out. That kind of stuff always bothers me, but it is what it is. You can't control how the locker room is, especially if it's not a team that you built yourself.
Drogba has been motivated. Lampard has been consistent all year. They've been playing much better, and their first leg against Liverpool in the Champions League was their most impressive performance all year.
That's not to say they're invincible though.
Their defense has been shaky. Petr Cech is not the goalkeeper he once was, and he is susceptible to crosses. He is no longer both brave and intelligent; he is usually one or the other.
Their offense is incredibly narrow. They align with three central midfielders and use two nominal wingers to try to create width. Under Scolari, he used Ashley Cole and Boswinga to bomb forward to provide the width that such a central system denied them. It worked, only until those fullbacks were put under pressure themselves.
To that extent, we need Arshavin and Theo to push them back so their attack remains more one-dimensional. As Arsene put it so bluntly, our attack is the best form of defense, especially considering that 80% of our first choice back four is now sidelined.
If Gibbs is able to recover, it will prevent Alex Song from played in defense. This will help combat the talents of Ballack and Lampard. If not, Song's strength will help us play Drogba more effectively. Song will be an important player tomorrow.
Moreover, Cesc may be man-marked by Essien. I adore Mikael Essien. I regard him as one of the best players in the world, but if he were put to this task, it would deprive them of his forward drive. That may work in our favor, if we have Arshavin playing on the left wing.
Quite simply, it's a tasty matchup. It's a 50-50 to be sure. That being said, my heart bleeds red. I hope to see our club continue to blossom.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
FA Cup Semi-Finals
Arsenal have played in a record 24 FA cup semi-finals. Saturday will be Arsenal's 25th.
Arsenal's first FA cup semi-final was back in 1906, which they lost 2-0 to Newcastle United.
The following year, 1907, Arsenal again made it to the FA cup semi-final, losing 3-1 to Sheffield Wednesday.
The first time Arsenal won an FA cup semi-final was in 1927 when they beat Southamton 2-1.
Arsenal have won 17 FA cup semi-finals.
Saturday will be Arsenal's 8th FA cup semi-final with Arsene Wenger as manager. Wenger has won 5 out 7 FA cup semi-finals. His two defeats were against Manchester United in 1999 and 2004.
Arsenal have never beaten Manchester United in any semi-final. Arsenal lost to United in the 1983 FA cup semi-final 2-1 after taking the lead through Tony Woodcock. I was gutted that day. I had to listen to the match on the radio as the game was not televised live. We had already lost a league cup semi-final to them that season 6-3 on aggregate. So to lose another one and listen to it on the radio was enough to give me thoughts of suicide.
I was nine years old.
I was too young to remember Arsenal beating Orient (Leyton Orient today) back in 1978. I do remember losing the final to Bobby Robson's Ipswich 1-0. Pain from that defeat turned me into a Gooner, but it wasn't until our epic semi-finals of 1980 against Liverpool that I became a fanatic. It took four games to beat Liverpool that year. The first three games having finished 0-0, 1-1 and 1-1. I listened to every game on the radio.
Today, replays in semi-finals no longer exist. The 1999 semi-final replay against Man United was the last.
Arsenal have only played two semi-finals at Wembley. Both were against Spurs. In 1991, a Gazza and Lineker inspired Spurs beat Arsenal 3-1. That game will always be remembered for Gazza's 30 yard free-kick. I watched that game in The Cock Tavern right next to Highbury and Islington tube station. It was the first FA semi-final involving Arsenal that I watched live on TV.
I really hated Spurs that day. They stopped Arsenal from doing the double that year. It took a long time to get over that defeat. Still it's good to see Gazza doing well in life these days. How many cans of beer was he drinking before he went back into rehab? 35. That's 35 pint sized cans of strong lager a day. England's finest!
Two seasons later, I watched Arsenal beat Spurs 1-0 in another semi-final held at Wembley. Tony Adams scored a header from a Paul Merson free-kick. The tension among Gooners was intense as we could not face losing to the Scum again in such a high profile game. The game itself lacked quality. After the match had finished, I remember there being a lot of angry Spurs fans lurking around Wembley. There was also a big ruck at Kings Cross tube station and a lot of drunk Gooners celebrating at The Gunners pub.
I was living in Atlanta when we beat Spurs at Old Trafford in 2001. By then Spurs were a spent force. Arsenal should have beaten them by more than 2-1.
Arsenal have played Chelsea in two FA cup semi-finals - 1950 and 1952 - wining both after replays. I'm sure that today's players won't have a clue about those two results. Nor should they. The result they will remember is the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea in the Carling cup final back in 2007. That game finished in a brawl - which Arsenal won - and left three Arsenal players with lengthy bans.
The list of teams that have beaten Arsenal in FA cup semi-finals is below:
1906 Newcastle United
1907 Sheffield Wednesday
1973 Sunderland
1983 Manchester United
1991 Spurs
1999 Manchester United
2004 Manchester United
Let's hope Chelsea won't be added to that list.
Arsenal's first FA cup semi-final was back in 1906, which they lost 2-0 to Newcastle United.
The following year, 1907, Arsenal again made it to the FA cup semi-final, losing 3-1 to Sheffield Wednesday.
The first time Arsenal won an FA cup semi-final was in 1927 when they beat Southamton 2-1.
Arsenal have won 17 FA cup semi-finals.
Saturday will be Arsenal's 8th FA cup semi-final with Arsene Wenger as manager. Wenger has won 5 out 7 FA cup semi-finals. His two defeats were against Manchester United in 1999 and 2004.
Arsenal have never beaten Manchester United in any semi-final. Arsenal lost to United in the 1983 FA cup semi-final 2-1 after taking the lead through Tony Woodcock. I was gutted that day. I had to listen to the match on the radio as the game was not televised live. We had already lost a league cup semi-final to them that season 6-3 on aggregate. So to lose another one and listen to it on the radio was enough to give me thoughts of suicide.
I was nine years old.
I was too young to remember Arsenal beating Orient (Leyton Orient today) back in 1978. I do remember losing the final to Bobby Robson's Ipswich 1-0. Pain from that defeat turned me into a Gooner, but it wasn't until our epic semi-finals of 1980 against Liverpool that I became a fanatic. It took four games to beat Liverpool that year. The first three games having finished 0-0, 1-1 and 1-1. I listened to every game on the radio.
Today, replays in semi-finals no longer exist. The 1999 semi-final replay against Man United was the last.
Arsenal have only played two semi-finals at Wembley. Both were against Spurs. In 1991, a Gazza and Lineker inspired Spurs beat Arsenal 3-1. That game will always be remembered for Gazza's 30 yard free-kick. I watched that game in The Cock Tavern right next to Highbury and Islington tube station. It was the first FA semi-final involving Arsenal that I watched live on TV.
I really hated Spurs that day. They stopped Arsenal from doing the double that year. It took a long time to get over that defeat. Still it's good to see Gazza doing well in life these days. How many cans of beer was he drinking before he went back into rehab? 35. That's 35 pint sized cans of strong lager a day. England's finest!
Two seasons later, I watched Arsenal beat Spurs 1-0 in another semi-final held at Wembley. Tony Adams scored a header from a Paul Merson free-kick. The tension among Gooners was intense as we could not face losing to the Scum again in such a high profile game. The game itself lacked quality. After the match had finished, I remember there being a lot of angry Spurs fans lurking around Wembley. There was also a big ruck at Kings Cross tube station and a lot of drunk Gooners celebrating at The Gunners pub.
I was living in Atlanta when we beat Spurs at Old Trafford in 2001. By then Spurs were a spent force. Arsenal should have beaten them by more than 2-1.
Arsenal have played Chelsea in two FA cup semi-finals - 1950 and 1952 - wining both after replays. I'm sure that today's players won't have a clue about those two results. Nor should they. The result they will remember is the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea in the Carling cup final back in 2007. That game finished in a brawl - which Arsenal won - and left three Arsenal players with lengthy bans.
The list of teams that have beaten Arsenal in FA cup semi-finals is below:
1906 Newcastle United
1907 Sheffield Wednesday
1973 Sunderland
1983 Manchester United
1991 Spurs
1999 Manchester United
2004 Manchester United
Let's hope Chelsea won't be added to that list.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Don't Do That
Five things I will never do:
1. Assume a result before a match is played
2. Under estimate the opposition
3. Wish my opponent good luck
4. Let the opposition know what I am thinking
5. Motivate the opposition
Marcos Senna has earned the right to speak out but he didn’t need to call out Togo. I could never understand why combatants or managers would speak so openly about tactics before a match or about their thoughts on battle in general. The last thing I would want is for the opposition to have any kind of edge on me. Equally, I would never assume that I know the limits of their capabilities.
This is a very sensitive time of the season for us. We must be very careful but also be positive. Hand brakes off but play smart as well.
We can do this!
1. Assume a result before a match is played
2. Under estimate the opposition
3. Wish my opponent good luck
4. Let the opposition know what I am thinking
5. Motivate the opposition
Marcos Senna has earned the right to speak out but he didn’t need to call out Togo. I could never understand why combatants or managers would speak so openly about tactics before a match or about their thoughts on battle in general. The last thing I would want is for the opposition to have any kind of edge on me. Equally, I would never assume that I know the limits of their capabilities.
This is a very sensitive time of the season for us. We must be very careful but also be positive. Hand brakes off but play smart as well.
We can do this!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
You Cannot Let The Past Dictate Your Future
When we went to Villarreal in the 2nd leg of the Champions League semifinal in 2006, we played to protect our one goal lead. That day, we seemed incredibly timid. We knew what was at stake, and the players seemed petrified in the moment. Arsene Wenger revealed today that he told the team to attack in that game, and they responded, "No chance."
We were bombarded and assaulted by Villarreal. That they failed to penetrate our goal is due to the heroics of Jens Lehmann.
Wenger has asked this team to listen to him this time around, and he is ordering them to attack Villarreal. There are similarities in the sense that Villarreal will come out to attack. We have the luxury of playing at the Emirates, but we had that same luxury when Wayne Bridge broke my heart. That goal told me everything about football in a nutshell. Being a King means nothing if you show any sign of weakness. The best team in the world had succumbed to a team that had been beaten by us thirteen previous times before.
With a patchwork defense, we needed this tie to be at home in order to give us an added boost. We can expect to see Silvestre step in, and methinks that Wenger will trust Gibbs to play on the left. He was given a torrid time and targeted by Valencia on Saturday, but the lack of pace in Pires will benefit Gibbs. That being said, the only added benefit Gibbs gives us at this moment is his ability to deliver a peach of a ball. The truth is, the injuries have again hit us at a bad time.
But, we cannot look on that and feel it as a weakness. The last time William Gallas went missing, we capitulated. In what Arsene calls the worst game of the season, our defense was shredded by Ireland and Robinho.
On Saturday, we were in line for a similar result. We were 1-0 down, and fortunate to escape a red card. However, we refused to crumble and held our own. This team has learned from their mistakes.
Tomorrow, Villarreal will lack the physical presence of Senna, a player that many fans covet. He claimed that in a few years time, this Arsenal team can dominate. He, of course, feels that his team has a chance in this tie. And of course, he's absolutely correct.
This is an incredibly dangerous tie. Any goals they score, we will have to make up for. A draw doesn't guarantee you anything if it's a score draw.
What we require is poise, confidence, determination.
This is the moment for the players to realize why Arsene Wenger bought them in the first place.
It will require Fabianski's decisive thinking, Sagna's no nonsense defending, Toure's manic aggression, Silvestre's experienced head, Gibbs' young confidence, Alex Song's toughness, Denilson's cool, Cesc's genius, Nasri's skills, Walcott's pace, van Persie's precision, and Adebayor's work ethic.
And what awaits us after a solid 90 (or 120) minutes is a potential mouthwatering tie against United where we'll play the second leg at the Emirates.
This game, and that potential game, is what football is all about. If you're not excited, you are not an Arsenal fan.
We were bombarded and assaulted by Villarreal. That they failed to penetrate our goal is due to the heroics of Jens Lehmann.
Wenger has asked this team to listen to him this time around, and he is ordering them to attack Villarreal. There are similarities in the sense that Villarreal will come out to attack. We have the luxury of playing at the Emirates, but we had that same luxury when Wayne Bridge broke my heart. That goal told me everything about football in a nutshell. Being a King means nothing if you show any sign of weakness. The best team in the world had succumbed to a team that had been beaten by us thirteen previous times before.
With a patchwork defense, we needed this tie to be at home in order to give us an added boost. We can expect to see Silvestre step in, and methinks that Wenger will trust Gibbs to play on the left. He was given a torrid time and targeted by Valencia on Saturday, but the lack of pace in Pires will benefit Gibbs. That being said, the only added benefit Gibbs gives us at this moment is his ability to deliver a peach of a ball. The truth is, the injuries have again hit us at a bad time.
But, we cannot look on that and feel it as a weakness. The last time William Gallas went missing, we capitulated. In what Arsene calls the worst game of the season, our defense was shredded by Ireland and Robinho.
On Saturday, we were in line for a similar result. We were 1-0 down, and fortunate to escape a red card. However, we refused to crumble and held our own. This team has learned from their mistakes.
Tomorrow, Villarreal will lack the physical presence of Senna, a player that many fans covet. He claimed that in a few years time, this Arsenal team can dominate. He, of course, feels that his team has a chance in this tie. And of course, he's absolutely correct.
This is an incredibly dangerous tie. Any goals they score, we will have to make up for. A draw doesn't guarantee you anything if it's a score draw.
What we require is poise, confidence, determination.
This is the moment for the players to realize why Arsene Wenger bought them in the first place.
It will require Fabianski's decisive thinking, Sagna's no nonsense defending, Toure's manic aggression, Silvestre's experienced head, Gibbs' young confidence, Alex Song's toughness, Denilson's cool, Cesc's genius, Nasri's skills, Walcott's pace, van Persie's precision, and Adebayor's work ethic.
And what awaits us after a solid 90 (or 120) minutes is a potential mouthwatering tie against United where we'll play the second leg at the Emirates.
This game, and that potential game, is what football is all about. If you're not excited, you are not an Arsenal fan.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Every Game Counts
Aston Villa are now 8 points behind Arsenal in the race for the last Champions League place. Yesterday they stopped a run of losing four Premiership matches on the trot by drawing 3-3 at home to Everton.
Everton are 6th in the Premiership, one point behind Villa.
Both sides needed a win yesterday to stand any realistic chance of taking 4th spot.
There are six Premiership matches left for Arsenal. If they win three of those games and draw one, Arsenal should be home and dry because of their superior goal difference to Villa. This means that Arsenal can concentrate their efforts on the Champions League if they beat Villarreal on Wednesday.
This is no easy task. The game on Wednesday is on a knife edge.
1-1 favors no one.
If Villarreal score first - which is a possibility because Arsenal are without Gallas and Djourou - then nerves and a lack of belief could quickly run through the Arsenal squad and finish them off. Additionally, Villarreal could also grow in confidence and smell blood.
This game is only for the head strong.
If Arsenal score first - and thus lead the tie 2-1 - we could witness another Cheslsea result from 2004.
In April 2004, Arsenal hosted Chelsea in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final. The first leg at Stamford Bridge finished 1-1. Arsenal were seen as the favorites to go through. All they to do was draw 0-0 and Monaco awaited them in the semis. Many Arsenal fans were already booking flights to the French principality. That's how confident and arrogant they were. Arsenal had already beaten Chelsea three times that season, so there was some justification in their actions.
Just before half-time in the second leg, Jose Antonio Reyes, Arsenal's mercurial new Spainish signing, scored to put Arsenal 1-0 ahead on the night and 2-1 up on aggregate.
But in the second half Arsenal fell apart. Nerves got the better of them with Chelsea winning 2-1.
Champions League football is a professional footballer's crack cocaine. Only playing in a European Championship or World Cup can top it.
If Arsenal or Villarreal make it to the semi-finals then they must fancy their chances against Porto or a shaky Manchester United.
Porto are a lot stronger at home and are in a much better position than Arsenal. United have to win in Portugal or their dream of the quintuplet is over. Not an easy task against a team whose fans hate Christiano Ronaldo for his ties with Sporting Lisbon.
After watching the Wigan match on Saturday, it is obvious that Wenger is now juggling his sqaud. Having Djourou out is a massive blow. Sylvestre is a good stop gap but he lacks speed, which against fast Champions League players is a big weakness. He is also small for a center-back which can be a problem when playing against sides like Stoke City. Sylvestre does, however, possess great positional sense and has bags of experience - something that every team needs at the business end of the season. He also knows how to organize others.
Put it this way - he is just as good as Senderos.
Our most value player in the coming weeks of battle is a man who has been derided by The Negatives for most of his Arsenal career.
Alex Song.
Song is the only man I trust right now to play center-back. Kieran Gibbs showed against Wigan Athletic that he is too raw for a Champions League start. Sylvestre will therefore have to deputise at left-back until Clichy is back. Arsenal's back four on Wednesday could look like this:
Sylestre Song Toure Sagna
They all speak French, they all have experience and they all have a huge job on their hands.
It helps Arsenal that Senna is out. That is a huge relief. Senna is an animal of a player. With Song not playing in the midfield, Senna would have run riot.
After Villarreal, it's Chelsea at Wembley and then Liverpool at Anfield. Both teams play each other tomorrow in a game that will have an effect on Arsenal. Liverpool look to be out of the Champions League after losing 3-1 at home last week. This means that the Premiership is all they have left to win.
However, the scenario completely changes if they some how get past Chelsea. This will mean that Saturday's FA cup semi-final will be the only trophy that Chelsea can realistically win this season - although there are some Chelsea fans talking of the treble.
First it's Villareal, then Chelsea at Wembley, followed by Anfield and then relegation threatened Middlesbrough at The Emirates. All in ten days.
It's crunch time.
Every game counts, starting tomorrow.
Everton are 6th in the Premiership, one point behind Villa.
Both sides needed a win yesterday to stand any realistic chance of taking 4th spot.
There are six Premiership matches left for Arsenal. If they win three of those games and draw one, Arsenal should be home and dry because of their superior goal difference to Villa. This means that Arsenal can concentrate their efforts on the Champions League if they beat Villarreal on Wednesday.
This is no easy task. The game on Wednesday is on a knife edge.
1-1 favors no one.
If Villarreal score first - which is a possibility because Arsenal are without Gallas and Djourou - then nerves and a lack of belief could quickly run through the Arsenal squad and finish them off. Additionally, Villarreal could also grow in confidence and smell blood.
This game is only for the head strong.
If Arsenal score first - and thus lead the tie 2-1 - we could witness another Cheslsea result from 2004.
In April 2004, Arsenal hosted Chelsea in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final. The first leg at Stamford Bridge finished 1-1. Arsenal were seen as the favorites to go through. All they to do was draw 0-0 and Monaco awaited them in the semis. Many Arsenal fans were already booking flights to the French principality. That's how confident and arrogant they were. Arsenal had already beaten Chelsea three times that season, so there was some justification in their actions.
Just before half-time in the second leg, Jose Antonio Reyes, Arsenal's mercurial new Spainish signing, scored to put Arsenal 1-0 ahead on the night and 2-1 up on aggregate.
But in the second half Arsenal fell apart. Nerves got the better of them with Chelsea winning 2-1.
Champions League football is a professional footballer's crack cocaine. Only playing in a European Championship or World Cup can top it.
If Arsenal or Villarreal make it to the semi-finals then they must fancy their chances against Porto or a shaky Manchester United.
Porto are a lot stronger at home and are in a much better position than Arsenal. United have to win in Portugal or their dream of the quintuplet is over. Not an easy task against a team whose fans hate Christiano Ronaldo for his ties with Sporting Lisbon.
After watching the Wigan match on Saturday, it is obvious that Wenger is now juggling his sqaud. Having Djourou out is a massive blow. Sylvestre is a good stop gap but he lacks speed, which against fast Champions League players is a big weakness. He is also small for a center-back which can be a problem when playing against sides like Stoke City. Sylvestre does, however, possess great positional sense and has bags of experience - something that every team needs at the business end of the season. He also knows how to organize others.
Put it this way - he is just as good as Senderos.
Our most value player in the coming weeks of battle is a man who has been derided by The Negatives for most of his Arsenal career.
Alex Song.
Song is the only man I trust right now to play center-back. Kieran Gibbs showed against Wigan Athletic that he is too raw for a Champions League start. Sylvestre will therefore have to deputise at left-back until Clichy is back. Arsenal's back four on Wednesday could look like this:
Sylestre Song Toure Sagna
They all speak French, they all have experience and they all have a huge job on their hands.
It helps Arsenal that Senna is out. That is a huge relief. Senna is an animal of a player. With Song not playing in the midfield, Senna would have run riot.
After Villarreal, it's Chelsea at Wembley and then Liverpool at Anfield. Both teams play each other tomorrow in a game that will have an effect on Arsenal. Liverpool look to be out of the Champions League after losing 3-1 at home last week. This means that the Premiership is all they have left to win.
However, the scenario completely changes if they some how get past Chelsea. This will mean that Saturday's FA cup semi-final will be the only trophy that Chelsea can realistically win this season - although there are some Chelsea fans talking of the treble.
First it's Villareal, then Chelsea at Wembley, followed by Anfield and then relegation threatened Middlesbrough at The Emirates. All in ten days.
It's crunch time.
Every game counts, starting tomorrow.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Why I Believe
I’ve just read quotes from a l’Equipe interview with Arsene Wenger. They reveal more about his thoughts on this team than I’ve read before. They smash the theory that “arrogance” drives the man and that the team and ultimately the club and fans suffer from his stubbornness. They show humility and maybe a hint of self doubt. They have reconfirmed that the man does not allow himself to operate inside a bubble, isolated from the realities that we fans suffer from. The man, as I have suspected, suffers as much if not more than we do.
During our pre-season campaign, I looked for clues to indicate if we had the requirements to compete for the title. I analyzed the squad additions of even more inexperienced young players while others cringed when Wenger hinted that replacements for Hleb, Flamini, and Gilberto were either not available or not required. Not replacing the latter pair in favor of Song and Denilson gave non-believers more than enough reason to begin distrusting the Wenger model. Faith was beginning to slip away just as the title did last season.
I’ve been called a Wenger apologist, suggesting that either I am not realistic enough in my assessment of his policies or that I simply will not accept that the players are not good enough. In response, I’ve had to reassess my views and positions on our club in general.
I remain steadfast. The policy is not flawed and the players are good enough.
My first true moment of reflection on the squad’s capabilities occurred after the Emirates Cup tournament last August. I revealed to a fellow fan that I was slightly concerned about the state of our squad. She commented that I “should be”. After close analysis of each player, I didn’t develop more doubt but more confidence. Yes, more confidence. I truly believed that we could compete. The addition of Arshavin was something that was always imminent. Wenger always wanted that “special” player. Arshavin’s transfer was a difficult task but not counter to Wenger's policy as some have suggested.
Was I being contrarian and defiant in feeling that we were good enough to compete for the title? Was I in denial? Was I blinded by faith? I didn’t think so then and I still believe that mine is a fair assessment of the situation. I’ve approached analyzing our club in a structured manner, not like those who take the ‘what have you done for me lately’ position.
I look at the players’ confidence levels. Wenger instills confidence in his players. He does not allow them to believe their own hype but certainly does give them the platform upon which to build their mental strength. I look at the consistency of results and performances. The manager links quality to consistency. But I haven’t told you anything that you don’t already know. Pretty basic stuff, really! What’s not basic is the great divide that has formed between subscribers to the Wenger model and the non-believers’ view that it is fatally flawed.
It is not flawed. The business end of the season is upon us. I have every faith in this team that they will prove that. The players have the confidence that they can achieve great things together. In fact, dealing with the trauma of last season’s failure, the Gallas saga, the injuries to and departure of big players, and managing the challenge from Villa are all potentially damaging events they’ve handled already. The confidence gained from victories over Utd and Chelsea (one offs to many) look more and more like true reflections of our ability. Coming of age in Roma has bolstered squad confidence and identity. Coming from behind against Villareal and Wigan is further evidence.
Consistency is a good barometer of true quality. Not many teams anywhere have been more consistent than Arsenal in 2009. Please correct me if I am wrong. Not all our results have impressed the non-believers as we’ve drawn matches we should have won. Fair enough but we’ve been arguably the form team in the EPL for some time now, regardless of credit from the media for it or not.
It isn’t blind faith that makes me stand by my manager. It is belief in what he has created and knowing that successful teams are built on small, incremental bits of progress. Sometimes that progress doesn’t come fast enough or isn’t as evident as it could be. That is when you ask yourself questions, not the manager necessarily. He questions himself.
During our pre-season campaign, I looked for clues to indicate if we had the requirements to compete for the title. I analyzed the squad additions of even more inexperienced young players while others cringed when Wenger hinted that replacements for Hleb, Flamini, and Gilberto were either not available or not required. Not replacing the latter pair in favor of Song and Denilson gave non-believers more than enough reason to begin distrusting the Wenger model. Faith was beginning to slip away just as the title did last season.
I’ve been called a Wenger apologist, suggesting that either I am not realistic enough in my assessment of his policies or that I simply will not accept that the players are not good enough. In response, I’ve had to reassess my views and positions on our club in general.
I remain steadfast. The policy is not flawed and the players are good enough.
My first true moment of reflection on the squad’s capabilities occurred after the Emirates Cup tournament last August. I revealed to a fellow fan that I was slightly concerned about the state of our squad. She commented that I “should be”. After close analysis of each player, I didn’t develop more doubt but more confidence. Yes, more confidence. I truly believed that we could compete. The addition of Arshavin was something that was always imminent. Wenger always wanted that “special” player. Arshavin’s transfer was a difficult task but not counter to Wenger's policy as some have suggested.
Was I being contrarian and defiant in feeling that we were good enough to compete for the title? Was I in denial? Was I blinded by faith? I didn’t think so then and I still believe that mine is a fair assessment of the situation. I’ve approached analyzing our club in a structured manner, not like those who take the ‘what have you done for me lately’ position.
I look at the players’ confidence levels. Wenger instills confidence in his players. He does not allow them to believe their own hype but certainly does give them the platform upon which to build their mental strength. I look at the consistency of results and performances. The manager links quality to consistency. But I haven’t told you anything that you don’t already know. Pretty basic stuff, really! What’s not basic is the great divide that has formed between subscribers to the Wenger model and the non-believers’ view that it is fatally flawed.
It is not flawed. The business end of the season is upon us. I have every faith in this team that they will prove that. The players have the confidence that they can achieve great things together. In fact, dealing with the trauma of last season’s failure, the Gallas saga, the injuries to and departure of big players, and managing the challenge from Villa are all potentially damaging events they’ve handled already. The confidence gained from victories over Utd and Chelsea (one offs to many) look more and more like true reflections of our ability. Coming of age in Roma has bolstered squad confidence and identity. Coming from behind against Villareal and Wigan is further evidence.
Consistency is a good barometer of true quality. Not many teams anywhere have been more consistent than Arsenal in 2009. Please correct me if I am wrong. Not all our results have impressed the non-believers as we’ve drawn matches we should have won. Fair enough but we’ve been arguably the form team in the EPL for some time now, regardless of credit from the media for it or not.
It isn’t blind faith that makes me stand by my manager. It is belief in what he has created and knowing that successful teams are built on small, incremental bits of progress. Sometimes that progress doesn’t come fast enough or isn’t as evident as it could be. That is when you ask yourself questions, not the manager necessarily. He questions himself.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Appreciate William Gallas
As soon as I saw the replays, I knew he was finished for the year. In fact, I immediately texted a great man those words. I don't think he knew what it really meant, seeing as he was watching the game on tape delay later. Naturally, some people blamed Alex Song for it, but it was the type of injury that can happen in football. Accidents happen. We can accept such things, even if we think it is unlucky.
When Rossi landed on Gallas, Rossi immediately sprung up and waved for the stretcher. He knew what happened. Rossi was also involved with Almunia in the early part of the game, crashing into him while chasing a ball. Rossi is not a dirty player, and he's actually quite good (even if he should play for the United States). So, seeing his requests, I knew Gallas was down for the count.
The remarkable thing about Gallas on Tuesday was this. Yes, he was carried off the field. Yet, almost one minute later, he re-entered the pitch and defended against a Villarreal attack. He was clearly hobbled and injured, as he chased down the ball. That being said, he was still in the right position and he cut off the channel. After that, he collapsed onto the ground and was substituted off. After a few moments of early jitters, Djourou did well enough and Kolo turned into the mountain of a defender he can be. Kolo probably put in his best performance of the year, and that is a welcome sign knowing that Gallas will be missing from here on out.
Most people think Gallas is off. Myles Palmer has stated that a deal to Marseille is already finished and that we'll be signing Sebastien Bassong from Newcastle. Arseblog likes to speculate that Gallas might have played his last game for us. Arsene meanwhile has come out and stated that he will be back. I like Bassong, I think he's a good prospect and he won't need to adapt to the English Premier League. We are also rumored to be interested in Sakho from Paris St. Germain. These are good things to hear, being that the defense is probably the only element of our squad we need to beef up. That being said, I would be thrilled to see Gallas stick around.
William Gallas is a warrior. William Gallas is a man who only cares about winning. William Gallas helped right the good ship Arsenal this year when everybody was prepared to cast him off as a cancer. William Gallas is a Gunner.
Just a small note about Wigan. They will be without Lee Cattermole, and this will affect their game. They will use Michael Brown and Watson to fill the center of the midfield. They will want to win tomorrow as they want to finish 7th. We will be tired, but the one player who will be ready is Andrey Arshavin.
Arshavin said yesterday that he loves our club. Andrey Arshavin is a Gunner.
When Rossi landed on Gallas, Rossi immediately sprung up and waved for the stretcher. He knew what happened. Rossi was also involved with Almunia in the early part of the game, crashing into him while chasing a ball. Rossi is not a dirty player, and he's actually quite good (even if he should play for the United States). So, seeing his requests, I knew Gallas was down for the count.
The remarkable thing about Gallas on Tuesday was this. Yes, he was carried off the field. Yet, almost one minute later, he re-entered the pitch and defended against a Villarreal attack. He was clearly hobbled and injured, as he chased down the ball. That being said, he was still in the right position and he cut off the channel. After that, he collapsed onto the ground and was substituted off. After a few moments of early jitters, Djourou did well enough and Kolo turned into the mountain of a defender he can be. Kolo probably put in his best performance of the year, and that is a welcome sign knowing that Gallas will be missing from here on out.
Most people think Gallas is off. Myles Palmer has stated that a deal to Marseille is already finished and that we'll be signing Sebastien Bassong from Newcastle. Arseblog likes to speculate that Gallas might have played his last game for us. Arsene meanwhile has come out and stated that he will be back. I like Bassong, I think he's a good prospect and he won't need to adapt to the English Premier League. We are also rumored to be interested in Sakho from Paris St. Germain. These are good things to hear, being that the defense is probably the only element of our squad we need to beef up. That being said, I would be thrilled to see Gallas stick around.
William Gallas is a warrior. William Gallas is a man who only cares about winning. William Gallas helped right the good ship Arsenal this year when everybody was prepared to cast him off as a cancer. William Gallas is a Gunner.
Just a small note about Wigan. They will be without Lee Cattermole, and this will affect their game. They will use Michael Brown and Watson to fill the center of the midfield. They will want to win tomorrow as they want to finish 7th. We will be tired, but the one player who will be ready is Andrey Arshavin.
Arshavin said yesterday that he loves our club. Andrey Arshavin is a Gunner.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)