Monday 2 February 2015

Arsenal Warm Up For Some Spud Smashing Against Villa

With the North London derby next Saturday Arsenal went into yesterday's game at home to Villa knowing they needed a result to move above Spurs again. Their local rivals had won 3-0 away to West Brom on Saturday to move into fifth place, but Arsenal went two better when they thrashed Villa 5-0 on Sunday afternoon. It was their fifth win in a row in all competitions and it's already their longest winning streak of the season. 

For the second league game in a row they won while having less possession of the ball than the opposition which is so unlike Arsenal in recent seasons. It seems to have dawned on Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal players that it's about what you do with the ball that counts and not how much of the ball you have. With the array of attacking talent Arsenal have they can hurt any team and they're showing that at the moment.

They drew Villa on to them and picked them apart on the break and could have won by more than the final 5-0 scoreline. They hit the woodwork twice as well as Brad Guzan making a few good saves and a fair few good chances going a begging too. All of that happened with Arsenal's star man this season unavailable through injury.

Villa might not have been the toughest team in the league to beat and haven't scored in their last six league games now, but they hadn't rolled over for anybody before yesterday either. They had only conceded as many goals as Arsenal before yesterday and they made a game of it for the first hour at least. Arsenal always looked like they had the ability to cut Villa open and they did just that as Villa tried to commit players forward to get back into the game.

The win moved Arsenal back into fifth place and within a point of third with second placed City now only six points ahead of them. It means they will stay ahead of Spurs once they don't lose to them on Saturday and that's something they won't even be considering. Spurs are on a good run of their own, but the quality Arsenal have all over the pitch is something Spurs just cannot match.

In Chritian Eriksen they have a player who is in excellent form and is a real danger from free kicks and Harry Kane is scoring plenty of goals at the moment too. Arsenal could have both Alexis and Danny Welbeck back for that game though to add to the players who were so impressive against Villa. I'm not sure exactly how they can fit all of those attacking players into the team, but those who won't start will offer incredible options from the bench.

The two teams drew earlier in the season in a game Arsenal should have won and won fairly easily too, but they just couldn't take enough of the great chances they created. Spurs got off lightly that day and they can't be allowed to get off so lightly on Saturday. There's a great chance for Arsenal to finish the season really strongly and make an impression in the league as well as the Champions League and of course the FA Cup. I don't think there's a realistic chance of winning any of them besides the FA Cup, but they can push very hard if they can keep their players fit for the rest of the season.

It looks like Francis Coquelin has been well rewarded for his excellent performances since being recalled from his loan spell at Charlton with a substantial pay rise. If the rumours are to be believed he will quadruple the £10,000 a week he was on and he looks worth every penny of it at the moment. It's great to see a player in the team who loves to tackle and revels in the defensive part of the game which so many players would prefer to do without.

Coquelin is one of so many positives in the team right now with David Ospina still to concede a goal since making the goalkeepers shirt his own another one. The form of young Hector Bellerin at right back has been a revelation too and with each game he looks more and more likely to make that position his own for a long time to come. Nacho Monreal continues to improve at left back too and that win was the 10th in a row for the team when he has started.

There's a real feeling it's coming good for Arsenal at just the right time and they couldn't be in better form heading into the business end of the season. A good win over Spurs would be the next step on the road and I believe they have the players to do just that on Saturday. With Arsenal playing before their rivals a win would put them third in the table and within three points of second to put a little pressure on the other teams before they play. Let's hope that's exactly what we get in a weekend which promises an awful lot.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.


9 comments:

  1. Arsenal play their game - they'll win easy. The Arsenal attack v the likes of Rose and Fazio will be carnage. Harry Kane won't get a sniff out of Koscielny - and Eriksen the most overrated player in the perm, will get little room with Coquelin. Eriksen looks impressive on highlights, and can take a great free-kick, but his passing stats are appalling and his chances created are not impressive at all. He's hit a nice purple patch with late goals and free kicks, but thats all it. He will be anonymous on Saturday and expect Pochettino substituting him for a more robust midfielder to try and cope with the onslaught.

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    1. We're a better team and we have better players too but we couldn't beat them at home despite dominating. I think Saturday will be different though as we finally seem to have found our mojo and we owe them a good thrashing.

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  2. What a bunch of wankers. "Harry Kane won't get a sniff out of Koscielny..."never mind that your exalted Wenger has been playing Ospina in the last number of matches and clearly rates him above Koscielny at the moment. Do you even know what's going on in your team you bleedin' eeeedjiottt? As for not getting a sniff, Kane has outscored your prized Sanchez in all competitions at 20 goals vs. 17 for Sanchez. In fact he's outscored all strikers when looking at all competitions. You both talk a big game but come Saturday, we shall see who will have the last laugh. Enjoy your delusional sense of superiority for now, you mugs!

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    1. Poor spud, ignorant yet willing to post some thing that shows you up. Koscielny is the defender who would have Kane in his pocket. Ospina is the goalkeeper who replaced Szczesny. So not sure if Wenger would rate Ospina above Koscielny since they play in different positions! :D ...If you know nothing, keep quiet. Otherwise, open your mouth (or in this case, fingers) and every one knows.

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    2. Your comparison of Kane and Alexis is hardly a proper one with Kane scoring so many of his goals in the Europa League and playing as an out and out striker while Alexis has rarely played in the strikers role. I'd love to know how you stumbled upon an Arsenal blog as a Soud fan unless of course you're checking out the Arsenal news aggregators because of a hidden wish to support a proper club.

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    3. Whether he's an out-and-out striker or not, Alexis is your top scorer as is Kane for Spurs. And whether those goals come in the league or cup competitions, goal scoring form begets goal scoring in a virtuous cycle. Be that as it may, this is all hogwash. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating of it on Saturday. We shall see what happens and all this banter and nonsense means nothing. Saturday will come. The game will be played. The result will dictate bragging rights at that point. In the meantime, enjoy your Arse blog and what have you.

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  3. You're right. I don't give two shots about your team...Koscielny and Szczeny...it all sounds the same to me...garbage is what it is. Koscielny will have Kane in his pocket you say...we shall see...and Ospina has had 3 clean sheets in a row....oooooh...impressive...methinks Koscielny will be helping Ospina dig out the ball from the net quite a few times after Kane jumps out of Kiscielny's pocket and stuffs his large penis down both of their throats.

    As for Szczeny, we will have a special smoking section available in the changing room waiting for him...

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    1. You paint a lovely picture of Harry Hane - aspiring footballer and porn star, I have no doubt you would prefer to be on the other end of his attentions rather than Koscielny and Ospina and maybe you could join Szczesny for a smoke afterwards.

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    2. I may have gotten carried away and I will duly apologize for my poor form with regards to the language and imagery put forth. Once again, the bragging rights will be duly dispensed to the fans of the team that emerges victorious on Saturday. As for your prior comment, I came upon this Arse blog via a Spurs news aggregator actually because the author's blog references Spurs, and the title is at best provocative and at worst bloody incendiary. I will leave you to enjoy that smoke with Szczesny on Saturay, as you will most likely need it.

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