Denilson must Start, George Graham better than Wenger? Review and Preview of United and Chelsea...
 g4L_Harry (5 February 2010)
Ok only joking, Denilson should be left out of the squad completely alongside Manuel Almunia, I have heard Dubai is a good place to get away from it all, but more on them later in the article.....
Still with a deep gutted feeling swelling inside all gooner’s stomachs, the anticipation of another big match stirs the fluids further more; can Arsenal atone for an abject display against Man United last Sunday, as they face the power and strength of Chelsea, Champions elect……? Who knows? I understand the feelings and emotions of the gooner community in the aftermath of the United Game, don’t necessarily agree with the petition been run by one site to get Wenger removed, but Sinbad is entitled to his views, as we all are, I just don’t think mid-season, it helps anyone, least of all the team.
When we briefly spent a couple of days at the top of the table in early January after beating Bolton 4-2, pundits acclaimed our response to the 3-0 mauling at home by Chelsea at the end of November, supposedly dead and buried and out of the title race, Arsenal clawed points back through 8wins and 2 draws………
Man United arrived on the back of an indifferent season and not really firing, injuries and players out of form, less the dynamic shrek of course. But least we forget the one defining constant that has kept them at the top for so long, big old red nose has done a remarkable job, more so now than ever before. Even the loss of Ronaldo and Tevez has not seen them drop off the pace, they haven’t been as good and they have been very lucky in quite a few games that I have seen, but he sets them up so well, inspires them and when needed he tweaks the team to great effect, he doesn’t always get it right, but any Manager who can get players like Fletcher, Park, Brown to play above their levels and get his team to play with such intensity must be doing something right and then keeping the old heads of Giggs and Scholes in the mix just helps steady the team.
I do believe that the papers and sports channels have slightly over egged the difference and to say they pounded and crushed us is a bit OTT, similar to the Chelsea game, whereby the “Men against Boys” statement was chucked out, ok we lost both games and at home, both embarrassing results I agree and they both deserved to win, I am not saying we were robbed, its just the difference is much smaller now than say 3 years ago.
George Graham speaks in the papers today and asks the question to Wenger, when your initial philosophy of technique, power, intensity, aggression and athleticism served you so well, why change?
Well it’s a fair question by a man who had a very good record as our boss, he is the one man who can legitimately ask, but I would just like to point out the records of these two mangers in the Arsenal hot seat…
Wenger: Matches 771. Win 58% / Lose 18%
Graham: Matches 460. Win 49% / Lose 22%
NB: On one of the blogs, someone mentioned about the stats in the sun and insinuated it was surprisingly in Grahams favour? Don’t get me wrong I have utmost respect for GG.
Well I think Wenger has seen others copy and wanted to keep ahead of the game, looking to new innovative ideas and trying to improve on what he had, he had rebuilt his team before and needed to do it again, Fergie has done so several times as well. This time it’s taking a bit longer than expected, or than is acceptable to some.
In 07/08 we were so close to winning the title, maybe slightly ahead of when wenger thought his plan would come to fruition, then in that fateful game when Eduardo was injured, which wasn’t the cause of our slip, a defining moment came when the relationship between Adebayor and Bendtner cost us so dearly, as one refused to square a pass for a tap in for the other and missed the harder chance, never remember which way round it was, anyone remind me? The rest is history as a 2-1 lead was cut back by a harsh last minute penalty, conceded by Clichy!!
Continual and very frustrating injuries to key players have affected the growth of the team since then, last year Fabregas was out for some 20 matches, ably deputised for by a young Brazilian named Denilson, you might not know him? Ok sarcasm aside, he hasn’t had the best season this year I agree. This year has seen us short of attackers with Van Persie and Bendtner out for long periods, although big nik is back in the fold now and seemingly he is quite confident……..
Van Persie often gets in a rich vein of form and is banging the goals in, we get in a good position and then he gets injured and things drop off. This season we managed to keep the points coming, but admittedly the goals slowed down. When it has cost us is against the big teams when Van Persie’s extra special bit of talent sets him apart from most others.
In the Chelsea game, we had an early chance that fell to Eduardo, who hesitated and snatched at it, he had 2 or 3 other lesser chances, against United Arshavin had 4 glorious chances and failed to hit the net, in those games I do believe Van persie would have made a big difference. Others injured too often include Diaby who had started to get a bit of form going, Theo can never get his form going as he has been out so much, I think he will come good, Rosicky was out for so long and his return was stop start, but crossed fingers he is ok now. Eduardo is stop start now, he so lacks confidence, but he should get it back eventually.
But all that said there are other issues that need addressing that if addressed would lessen the effect of Van persie’s and others absence’s……..
1. Defensive discipline: This is our biggest problem currently, it was there before United, but exposed more spectacularly by them, Pienaar did similar for Everton, Stoke caught us out in the Cup. For Rooneys goal, Gallas was in the CF role and Clichy was inside left winger. The players have got to understand when to push but maintain a solid line and when to chase the game, 1-0 turned to 2-0 for no reason. Why chase a game so early? It was very amateur, but that said Wenger should have seen this and reacted.
2. Plan B: When things aren’t working and the expansive passing game isn’t working, just switch it around and change tact, even just for 15 minutes or so. I am not an advocate of shouting shoot when a player crosses the half way line but sometimes a long pop works and unsettles teams. We continually use short free kicks, why not knock a few high balls into the area with Vermaelen the target? It isnt changing our beliefs but trying something different to get a foothold.
3. Intensity, Power and Desire: Even with our diddy men, as labelled by the press, we can still play a stronger more intense way, get stuck in, earn the right to play. This cannot be switch on and off, we need to be at it from the start of a game. Denilson as highlighted by most blogs has let himself down this season, notably he was guilty of not getting back against United, Nasri caught some flack too.
4. Balance: This has been a belief of mine for a long time, often Wenger has an ability to get the balance in the team just slightly wrong, playing players continually in less favourite positions compounds this. Denilson and Fabregas do not and have never played well together, Denilson’s best run in the team was last season when Cesc was out for 20 games. Even with an imbalance we can get away with it, but not against the better teams. If we haven’t got a player we need to get this right and should look into the transfer market……….Lets hope Wenger doesn’t regret not bringing in maybe just one more……
5. Keepers: In the long run I really do believe Szczesny will be our Number 1, there is just something about him, who knows? But for now we have Almunia, Fabianski and Mannone, all very able, good keepers, ideal Number 2’s, Fabianski and Mannone have some potential and maybe may up their levels and become great Number 1’s, but Almunia I am afraid has reached his ceiling and is just not good enough, he oozes panic and looks forlorn most of the time, the defence lack belief because of him. Wenger must buy in the summer a truly world class keeper, its worth 10-15 points a season, right now if we had a keeper like Akinfeev, we would be at least 7-8 points better off, that I am sure.
I once totally trusted Wenger, currently I believe he will get it right and turn things round, but my trust has diminished slightly, with his inability to see what we all see and not act. For me, not because of his record, but as more as I don’t see who could come in and operate under these restrictive conditions, or are they self set?, I think in his own mind he has this and next season to achieve something and that time I would give him…..
So as we head into Stamford Bridge, John Terry and fellow swingers await us, lets hope we don’t rollover as easy as some have done for them according to the press.
We went there last season on the back of similar comments and were given no hope, but came away 2-1 winners, oh yeah, Van Persie was playing, and he bagged a brace. I’d take a draw right now, but we have to believe we can turn this around and get a result. I fancy us to get in front, but will we hold out? I have a gut feeling for a 2-2 draw.
My team for Sunday:
Fabianski
Sagna Vermaelen Gallas Clichy
Song
Fabregas Rosicky
Arshavin Diaby Bendtner
Bench:
Walcott, Ramsey, Eboue, Traore, Nasri,Campbell and Mannone.
What do you all think? Am I wrong? Did I miss something?
Who would you go with and why?
Does Wenger still have your support, how long would you give him? Vote in our new poll……..
The Player of the Month for Jan is between Fabregas, Rosicky and Vermaelen, do you agree, vote at the bottom of this page.
Not a member?, Use quick register at the bottom of this page…………
Comments: | | | apollo | 05 February 2010 14:12:43 | | | | | | | | | fabianski
sagna gallas campbell vermaelen
song diaby fabregas
nasri bendtner arshavin
I will replace clichy at the left back because he is out of form/ not healthy and chelsea might target that side as utd did. vermaelen used to play left back at ajax, so he can comfortably slot in there, Secondly, sol campbell can use his strength to neutralize and frustrate drogba. | | | | | | | | | | G4L_Harry | 05 February 2010 14:18:28 | | | | | | | | | I understand and consider similar although I would have played Gallas at LB and verm in the middle with Campbell. But I would play Clichy and just tell him to stay in his own half more and not get caught out of position..... | | | | | | | | | | rakinnaw | 05 February 2010 17:23:59 | | | | | | | | | i hate to say this, arsenal could have won the game against Man utd easily but the reason is, we conceeded first which forced arsenal to push forward, cause whether a 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0 would count as no point anyway. Gale clichy has not been gud, especially looking at the 3rd goal, he shoud have forced Jisung park to the side he wanted him go( weaker foot). And yh, Nani played more of a team player than Arshavin did, arsenal had about 2-3 gud chances, a player of arsenal's class should have punished them before man utd scored. | | | | | | | | | | highbury44 | 05 February 2010 20:19:43 | | | | | | | | | I have always been a big fan of George Graham and in my opinion he was a better manager than AW.George got the best of average players and took over a club that haven't won the title or much else for 15 years.Nearly ever year he won a trophy,which Wenger has clearly failed to do.Yes the club was struggling in the season he was sacked but he wasn't given the chance to put it right.Football under George was always pretty but it was effective and got results.Its no good if we play attractive football if we never win anything.Let me ask this question would Alex Ferguson still be in charge at Man U if he haven't won anything for over 5 years? i don't think so.Arsenal's team isn't any better now than it was 5 years ago and i really can't understand when supporters believe we were unlucky against Chelsea and Man u.We were simply awful.
There comes a time when an era comes to an end and Wenger is near his end.He made a big impact but his ideals are no longer correct.
I can see a takeover being made in 18mths time and we join the rest of the big boys and spend like them.You might not agree with it but it will happen for certain.We were the last club to put advertising on our shirts and we will be last of the big 4 to be taken over. | | | | | | | | | | G4L_Harry | 05 February 2010 22:33:05 | | | | | | | | | I am very much a fan of GG too, it was just how a fan on another site had said the stats proved GG to be better, they are very similar but wenger just edges it......
I loved watching the boys under graham and always felt the boring tag was unfair, in 92 we scored 92.......
We werent unlucky against Chelsea and United we just didnt take our chances which would have made the game different......
Your probably right about the takeover........time will tell just as it will for Wenger.......... | | | | | | | | | | Urakanine | 06 February 2010 03:27:45 | | | | | | | | | Early morning is a terrible feeling. Anyway, GG was the person who delivered the hard-style of playing. Pushing, getting stuck in, and generally tearing down the midfield. I remember when we scrapped a 1-0 against Parma, that probably would be my greatest memory (except maybe the FA Cup against Chelsea, 4-2 against Wigan, 5-1 against Inter amongst others).
Wenger can do it and we know it. As for the next game, we really do need Diaby to play if he is available.
Probably we can push the play onto their left, to limit Cole and Cole. I read this fantastic article earlier and they spoke of how Man U had restricted our left (best attacking outlet), and instead overloaded that flank, which turned Clichy's life into a living hell. Apparently Ashley and Joe are the best attacking outlets so smothering the left may be a good solution. Rosicky anyone?
I'm going with:
Arshavin-Bendtner-Rosicky
Nasri-Fabregas
Song
Clichy-Gallas-Vermaelen-Sagna
Almunia (afraid we have no choice here.)
I know we all doubt Almunia (understatement) but really, he is the only one with the experience. Fabianski is far too.. young, to play in these sorts of matches. Besides it can only get better for Almunia, seeing how crappy he is now.
Cheers, to a 1-1 draw, with Drogba scoring early on and Vermaelen equalizing with a scrappy goal. | | | | | | | | | | Dial Sq | 07 February 2010 12:49:31 | | | | | | | | | are we all forgetting 95 then? | | | | | | | | | | walternkambule | 22 February 2010 22:10:51 | | | | | | | | | i'm a big fan as well...i realy like this team...this tym we need 2 take this cup not only enjoying remaining amongst the top 4...we have quality players whats the reason not to take the lead can somebody answers me please... | | | | | | | | | | walternkambule | 22 February 2010 22:21:01 | | | | | | | | | iwz not happy with Fabiaski seeing him allowing jst silly goal bitting him in da EUFA CUP when we were playing against Porto in da 1st leg.....i'll ask him 2 pls implove...
Now is our tym 2 win everythn we come across | | | | | | |
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