The start of the new season is drawing ever closer, and still Arsenal have far too many players they need to offload. The only player they have managed to sell so far is Carlos Vela, and they have to sell more to make room in their first team squad.
They faced a similar situation last summer, and ended up loaning out some of the players they couldn't offload. The big obstacle in their attempts to sell these players seems to be the wages paid to them by Arsenal. Unfortunately Arsenal have had to pay very high wages to promising players to ensure they stayed at the club, and these players don't always make the grade.
As a result Arsenal have had real difficulty in selling players like Nicklas Bentner, Denilson, Marouane Chamakh, Sebastien Squillaci, Andrey Arshavin, and Ju Young Park. Their combined wages and transfer fees would probably be enough to bring in the two players Arsene Wenger is still keen to sign. It does look like he will make those two signings anyway with Santi Cazorla and Nuri Sahin looking to be the most likely players to arrive.
Those who are supposedly "in the know" have being telling Arsenal fans for weeks that these two players signings are imminent. The chances are they will eventually be right, but nobody is truly in the know in my opinion. The only people who actually know what is happening are those involved in the negotiations in both clubs, and I would imagine the players too.
I think Cazorla would be a fantastic signing for Arsenal, and he could be the creative spark their midfield has being missing for quite a while now. With Jack Wilshere out of action until October I think the midfield needs some genuine quality added, and he certainly fits the bill. I just hope all of the rumours are right, and he dons the red Arsenal shirt very soon.
Of course the saga of Robin van Persie's expected departure continues, and it's effect on the other players and the fans is hard to judge. The players are continuing their preparation for the new season, but it cannot be easy for them to work with a player every day who would rather be elsewhere. I don't care what has been said about his supposed professionalism, as his statement from last month showed exactly how little of that he has.
For a club captain to undermine his own club in such a manner was quite incredible, and he will never be the same player again for me. Even if he stays for next season and sees out his contract I will find it hard to cheer him when he plays. The best solution for Arsenal is to be rid of him s soon as possible, and get on with the business of building a team with players who want to play for them.
As an Arsenal fan I have become used to players looking to leave the club, and the club have survived when better players than RVP have left. The most frustrating thing about the saga is how it is hanging over Arsenal's start to the new season. They have only one pre season game left before they face Sunderland in just over two weeks, and it's time for some action to be taken.
I know there is very little the club can do to get other clubs to increase their offers, but they have to think of what is best for the club as a whole. A disruptive influence cannot be allowed to fester at the club, and they need to cash in as soon as possible.
My ideal scenario would be for Arsenal to start the new season with all the above players I mentioned at new clubs, and a few new arrivals to bolster the squad. I can't see all of that happening in the next two weeks, but I hope it doesn't all come down to deadline day yet again. Last summer was a disastrous one for the club, and the transfer mayhem directly affected the team's start to the season.
It cannot be allowed to happen again, and I cannot imagine that it will. All the signs are that RVP will be sold, as new boy Lukasz Podolski has not been issued with a shirt number yet. I'm sure he would love to have RVP's number 10 shirt, but there is also the possibility of Park's number 9 being available very soon.
Finally for today I have to mention that my blog is four years old today. On this very day in 2008 I posted my first Arsenal blog on Oleole, and I have continued it on a very regular basis ever since. It's not always easy, but it certainly helps me to deal with my feelings for Arsenal by sharing them with others.
Hopefully I'll still be writing about Arsenal in another four years, and I'll have a few trophies to write about too.
Finally, finally for today don't forget to join my Fantasy Premier league for the new season with prizes for the top three teams. To join up just go to the site and use the code 17031-6252 to join my league when your team is set up. If you were in my league last season you should automatically be given a choice to rejoin it once your team is set up. There are over 400 teams in my league at the moment, and I'm hoping to match last season's total of over 1,000 teams.
That's it for today.
See you tomorrow.
Showing posts with label Ju Young Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ju Young Park. Show all posts
Friday, 3 August 2012
Saturday, 19 May 2012
Arsenal Season Review Part One
A very difficult and sometimes hard to take season is over for Arsenal and their supporters. Considering how bleak things looked during the summer after the departure of Cesc Fabregas the final Premier League position has to be seen as a positive. At one stage Arsenal found themselves 17th in the league, but gradually they turned things around to finish in a very respectable third spot.
Of course Arsenal didn't exactly do things the easy way, and it's been quite a long time since they did.
There was a huge turnaround in the personell in the first team squad last summer with Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy also being sold. Denilson, Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela were also sent out on loan, as Arsene Wenger made room for some new arrivals. With loads of money to spend the hope was that he would replace the quality of Cesc with players of the highest calibre.
The signs were promising early on when Gervinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Carl Jenkinson arrived, but there were no more significant arrivals until the transfer window was very close to slamming shut. In the last days and hours of the summer transfer window Arsenal brought in Andre Santos, Per Mertesacker, Ju-Young Park, Yossi Benayoun and Mikael Arteta, but none of them commanded a huge fee.
With both Cesc and Nasri gone it looked like the midfield strings would be pulled by Jack Wilshere, but Wenger could not have known he was going to miss the whole season through injury. The other midfielder who very rarely featured because of injury was Abu Diaby, and his constant injury problems must cast some serious doubt on his future at the club and in the game too. Their absences gave chances to other players who might have been expected to have had less opportunities in the first team.
The goalkeeping duties were taken over by Wojciech Szczesny, and he has shown himself to be a real star of the future. It's been a few years since Arsenal have had a goalkeeper who looks capable of playing at the very highest level, but Szczesny has shown enough to suggest he is that man. He's still only 22 years old, but if he continues to progress he could have the Arsenal goalkeeper's shirt for many years to come.
With Thomas Vermaelen available again after missing most of last season through injury there was some hope that the Arsenal defence would be a lot tighter than it had been the previous season. The additions of Mertesacker and Santos also looked to be very promising, and there was real hope of Arsenal having real cover in all four defensive positions.
Of course most of those arrivals were after Arsenal's first three league games of the season, and they only managed one point in those games. Worse still was what happened when they went to Old Trafford to play Manchester United just a few days before that window closed. The horror of that 8-2 defeat to United will be a memory which haunts Arsenal fans for many years to come.
Despite their terrible start to their league campaign Arsenal somehow found the strength within themselves to beat Udinese over two legs to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League. They were drawn with the champions of both Germany and Greece, as well as the runners up in the French League. It looked like Arsenal would have a tough task ahead of them, but they qualified for the knockout stages by winning their group with a game still left to play.
Arsenal managed to win four of their six games in September, as the new players seemed to be settling in very well. The only game Arsenal lost in September was away to Blackburn in the league, and it was in true Arsenal style. They were 2-1 up early in the second half when Bacary Sagna went off injured, and Blackburn ended up winning 4-3.
The fact that Arsenal put the ball through their own net twice didn't help, but the defending on display was nothing short of comical. When Arsenal eventually woke up they pounded the Blackburn goal, but they could only pull one goal back despite creating loads of chances. By early October Arsenal had seven points from seven games, and they were already 12 points behind the league leaders.
They had lost four league games which included defeats at home to Liverpool, as well as away to United and Spurs. They had at least progressed past Shrewsbury Town in the Carling Cup, as well as taking four points from their first two Champions League games. There were signs that things weren't all doom and gloom, but Arsenal needed to improve an awful lot in the league.
Arsenal then went on to win their next five league games, as they started to make up ground on the teams above them. The highlight of those five wins was the 5-3 victory away to Chelsea when Arsenal showed all of their attacking strengths and defensive weaknesses in the same game. The sight of John Terry lying flat on his face as Robin van Persie raced past him to score was one of the season's highlights for me.
The only Premier League defeat before the turn of the year after the loss away to Spurs was a 1-0 defeat away to league leaders Manchester City. Despite losing Arsenal played very well, and put up a performance to make their fans proud of their efforts. When the year ended Arsenal had 36 points from 19 league games which meant they had taken 29 points from their previous 12 games.
They were also through to the last 16 of the Champions League, and they faced the mouth-watering prospect of playing against AC Milan. There were some real reasons to be hopeful for Arsenal fans, and the prospect of a possible signing or two in the January transfer window were something to look forward to also. The injury crisis which the club had experienced in recent seasons had reared it's ugly head again, and the squad was looking a little threadbare.
Sagna had suffered a broken leg in the defeat to Spurs, and Santos picked up a bad injury in a meaningless Champions League game away to Olympiacos in Greece. With Kieran Gibbs and Jenkinson also injured Arsenal found themselves trying to cope without any recognised full backs in the team. They seemed to cope throughout December, but the question was would they continue to cope.
Arsenal had exited the Carling Cup at the hands of Manchester City, but they still had the FA Cup to look forward to. The prospect of qualifying for the next season's Champions League was still a very rel one, and there was also the matter of that last 16 tie with AC Milan. After an awful start to the season things were certainly starting to look a lot better at the half way mark.
The outstanding player in the first half of the season was undoubtedly RVP, as his goals were a primary factor in many of Arsenal's victories. He had returned from injury in the second half of the previous season, and scored so many goals in the calander year 2011. For the first time in his Arsenal career he was relatively injury free, and the club were feeling the benefits.
Besides RVP I thought the last minute capture of Arteta had a huge influence on Arsenal's recovery. He may not have been their first choice purchase for midfield, and he certainly wasn't a ready made replacement for Cesc. He brought a stability to the midfield which others had failed to do, and the whole team benefited from his arrival.
I'll go into my thoughts on the second half of the season next time, and then move on to an overall summary.
That's it for today.
See you tomorrow.
Of course Arsenal didn't exactly do things the easy way, and it's been quite a long time since they did.
There was a huge turnaround in the personell in the first team squad last summer with Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy also being sold. Denilson, Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela were also sent out on loan, as Arsene Wenger made room for some new arrivals. With loads of money to spend the hope was that he would replace the quality of Cesc with players of the highest calibre.
The signs were promising early on when Gervinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Carl Jenkinson arrived, but there were no more significant arrivals until the transfer window was very close to slamming shut. In the last days and hours of the summer transfer window Arsenal brought in Andre Santos, Per Mertesacker, Ju-Young Park, Yossi Benayoun and Mikael Arteta, but none of them commanded a huge fee.
With both Cesc and Nasri gone it looked like the midfield strings would be pulled by Jack Wilshere, but Wenger could not have known he was going to miss the whole season through injury. The other midfielder who very rarely featured because of injury was Abu Diaby, and his constant injury problems must cast some serious doubt on his future at the club and in the game too. Their absences gave chances to other players who might have been expected to have had less opportunities in the first team.
The goalkeeping duties were taken over by Wojciech Szczesny, and he has shown himself to be a real star of the future. It's been a few years since Arsenal have had a goalkeeper who looks capable of playing at the very highest level, but Szczesny has shown enough to suggest he is that man. He's still only 22 years old, but if he continues to progress he could have the Arsenal goalkeeper's shirt for many years to come.
With Thomas Vermaelen available again after missing most of last season through injury there was some hope that the Arsenal defence would be a lot tighter than it had been the previous season. The additions of Mertesacker and Santos also looked to be very promising, and there was real hope of Arsenal having real cover in all four defensive positions.
Of course most of those arrivals were after Arsenal's first three league games of the season, and they only managed one point in those games. Worse still was what happened when they went to Old Trafford to play Manchester United just a few days before that window closed. The horror of that 8-2 defeat to United will be a memory which haunts Arsenal fans for many years to come.
Despite their terrible start to their league campaign Arsenal somehow found the strength within themselves to beat Udinese over two legs to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League. They were drawn with the champions of both Germany and Greece, as well as the runners up in the French League. It looked like Arsenal would have a tough task ahead of them, but they qualified for the knockout stages by winning their group with a game still left to play.
Arsenal managed to win four of their six games in September, as the new players seemed to be settling in very well. The only game Arsenal lost in September was away to Blackburn in the league, and it was in true Arsenal style. They were 2-1 up early in the second half when Bacary Sagna went off injured, and Blackburn ended up winning 4-3.
The fact that Arsenal put the ball through their own net twice didn't help, but the defending on display was nothing short of comical. When Arsenal eventually woke up they pounded the Blackburn goal, but they could only pull one goal back despite creating loads of chances. By early October Arsenal had seven points from seven games, and they were already 12 points behind the league leaders.
They had lost four league games which included defeats at home to Liverpool, as well as away to United and Spurs. They had at least progressed past Shrewsbury Town in the Carling Cup, as well as taking four points from their first two Champions League games. There were signs that things weren't all doom and gloom, but Arsenal needed to improve an awful lot in the league.
Arsenal then went on to win their next five league games, as they started to make up ground on the teams above them. The highlight of those five wins was the 5-3 victory away to Chelsea when Arsenal showed all of their attacking strengths and defensive weaknesses in the same game. The sight of John Terry lying flat on his face as Robin van Persie raced past him to score was one of the season's highlights for me.
The only Premier League defeat before the turn of the year after the loss away to Spurs was a 1-0 defeat away to league leaders Manchester City. Despite losing Arsenal played very well, and put up a performance to make their fans proud of their efforts. When the year ended Arsenal had 36 points from 19 league games which meant they had taken 29 points from their previous 12 games.
They were also through to the last 16 of the Champions League, and they faced the mouth-watering prospect of playing against AC Milan. There were some real reasons to be hopeful for Arsenal fans, and the prospect of a possible signing or two in the January transfer window were something to look forward to also. The injury crisis which the club had experienced in recent seasons had reared it's ugly head again, and the squad was looking a little threadbare.
Sagna had suffered a broken leg in the defeat to Spurs, and Santos picked up a bad injury in a meaningless Champions League game away to Olympiacos in Greece. With Kieran Gibbs and Jenkinson also injured Arsenal found themselves trying to cope without any recognised full backs in the team. They seemed to cope throughout December, but the question was would they continue to cope.
Arsenal had exited the Carling Cup at the hands of Manchester City, but they still had the FA Cup to look forward to. The prospect of qualifying for the next season's Champions League was still a very rel one, and there was also the matter of that last 16 tie with AC Milan. After an awful start to the season things were certainly starting to look a lot better at the half way mark.
The outstanding player in the first half of the season was undoubtedly RVP, as his goals were a primary factor in many of Arsenal's victories. He had returned from injury in the second half of the previous season, and scored so many goals in the calander year 2011. For the first time in his Arsenal career he was relatively injury free, and the club were feeling the benefits.
Besides RVP I thought the last minute capture of Arteta had a huge influence on Arsenal's recovery. He may not have been their first choice purchase for midfield, and he certainly wasn't a ready made replacement for Cesc. He brought a stability to the midfield which others had failed to do, and the whole team benefited from his arrival.
I'll go into my thoughts on the second half of the season next time, and then move on to an overall summary.
That's it for today.
See you tomorrow.
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Arsenal Draw 0-0 With Marseille To Stay On Top Of Their Champions League Group
Arsenal took on Marseille at home last night in their fourth group game in this season's Champions League. Arsenal came into the game on top of the group with seven points from three games, and they knew a victory would ensure qualification for the last 16. They had beaten Marseille 1-0 in the reverse fixture two weeks ago with an added time go from Aaron Ramsey.
The team saw a few of changes from the one that beat Chelsea so impressively last Saturday with the inclusions of Carl Jenkinson, Thomas Vermaelen and Park Ju Young. It meant star player Robin Van Persie was rested, but he was on the bench in case he was needed to change things around later in the game. It also meant that Johan Djourou was relieved of his duties as an emergency right back, but young Jenkinson was still deputising for the injured Bacary Sagna.
The biggest surprise for me was the inclusion of Vermaelen at the expense of the very impressive Laurent Koscielny. Vermaelen is clearly the first choice central defender at the club, but I thought Per Mertesacker would be the man to miss out. I'm not knocking Mertesacker, but I think a combination of Vermaelen and Koscielny is one that should be considered Arsenal's best option in the centre of defence.
I would like to see the two of them get the chance to play together as soon as possible, and I hope they are both played against West Brom on Saturday. Koscielny was bought in the summer of 2010 to play alongside Vermaelen, but they have rarely done so because of the injury problems suffered by Vermaelen. I can only imagine that Koscielny was rested last night, or Arsene Wenger is going to try all of his options in the centre of defence.
It can't be a bad thing for the team that Arsenal now have a genuine choice in that position, and hopefully it will help to lead to some better defensive displays from the team.
Park had been impressive in the Carling Cup victory over Bolton Wanderers last week, and this was his chance to show what he could do as a part of Arsenal's first team. He was flanked by the two players who Wenger has clearly decided are his first choices in the wide roles. Both Theo Walcott and Gervinho had been excellent in the victory over Chelsea, and more of the same was hoped for from them last night.
Marseille opened much the stronger, as Arsenal took a few minutes to find their feet. Gradually Arsenal began to get the upper hand in the first half, but the free flowing attacking football of last Saturday wasn't happening. Marseille made it a lot harder for Arsenal to find space than Chelsea did, and the Arsenal players made far too many basic errors in possession.
The best chance Arsenal had in the first half fell to Aaron Ramsey, but he took too long and his effort was blocked. There was one incident when Alou Diarra handled the ball in his own penalty area, but the officials would have done very well to have spotted it. He got away with it though, just as he had done two weeks ago.
At half time there was no score, but I hoped for Arsenal to step up the pace and get the goals they needed in the second half. RVP, Tomas Rosicky and Andrey Arshavin were all introduced during the second half for Park, Ramsey and Gervinho, but to no avail. RVP almost managed a winner for Arsenal late on, and Arsenal put the Marseille goalmouth under a lot of pressure in the later stages.
It was all to no avail though, as Marseille held out for a point to remain in second place in the group, just one point behind Arsenal. Borussis Dortmund beat Olympiacos 1-0 in the other game in the group to move four points behind Arsenal, and they will visit Arsenal in three weeks time. Marseille will play at home to Olympiacos on the same night, and it looks like the final places in the group won't be decided until the final group games in early December.
Arsenal may not have reached the heights of Saturday's victory over Chelsea, but they are still in the driving seat in their Champions League group. A win at home to Dortmund will ensure qualification, but the winners of the group probably won't be decided until the final games are played. If Arsenal are certain of qualifying it will be very interesting to see what team Wenger puts out in the final game away to Olympiacos.
Arsenal have played weakened teams at the end of the group stages previously, and suffered the consequences too. If Arsenal can win their group they will have a last 16 tie against a runner-up from another group with the second leg taking place at the Emirates. Those are advantages which Arsenal need to make use of if they are to have any chance of making the last eight.
I can't see this Arsenal team going any further than the last eight this season, but hope springs eternal and if they can make it that far they could spring a surprise. There's no telling what might happen in the next transfer window, but it won't be easy to find top quality players who will be free to play in Europe.
Next up for Arsenal is a home Premier League game against West Brom on Saturday afternoon at the unusual time of three p.m. It's a game Arsenal simply cannot afford to drop points in, and I expect Wenger to have his very strongest side out. I expect the teams ahead of Arsenal to win this weekend with the possible exception of Newcastle and Tottenhm Hotspur, and Arsenal need to be ready to take advantage of any slips.
It would be great if Arsenal could go into the international break on the back of four straight Premier League wins. It would certainly leave them in a far better position than they were in going into the previous two breaks.
That's it for today.
Here's the highlights from last night's game.
It's not too late to join the over 900 teams in my fantasy league, and there are prizes for the top three teams at the end of the season. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.
To join the predictions league, just go to the site and set up your predictions. Then use the code F688F-JCO to join my league. I'll update the league table in my predictions every week.
Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook, too.
I'm also a member of a very good and very active Arsenal group on Facebook which you can join here.
See You Tomorrow.
The team saw a few of changes from the one that beat Chelsea so impressively last Saturday with the inclusions of Carl Jenkinson, Thomas Vermaelen and Park Ju Young. It meant star player Robin Van Persie was rested, but he was on the bench in case he was needed to change things around later in the game. It also meant that Johan Djourou was relieved of his duties as an emergency right back, but young Jenkinson was still deputising for the injured Bacary Sagna.
The biggest surprise for me was the inclusion of Vermaelen at the expense of the very impressive Laurent Koscielny. Vermaelen is clearly the first choice central defender at the club, but I thought Per Mertesacker would be the man to miss out. I'm not knocking Mertesacker, but I think a combination of Vermaelen and Koscielny is one that should be considered Arsenal's best option in the centre of defence.
I would like to see the two of them get the chance to play together as soon as possible, and I hope they are both played against West Brom on Saturday. Koscielny was bought in the summer of 2010 to play alongside Vermaelen, but they have rarely done so because of the injury problems suffered by Vermaelen. I can only imagine that Koscielny was rested last night, or Arsene Wenger is going to try all of his options in the centre of defence.
It can't be a bad thing for the team that Arsenal now have a genuine choice in that position, and hopefully it will help to lead to some better defensive displays from the team.
Park had been impressive in the Carling Cup victory over Bolton Wanderers last week, and this was his chance to show what he could do as a part of Arsenal's first team. He was flanked by the two players who Wenger has clearly decided are his first choices in the wide roles. Both Theo Walcott and Gervinho had been excellent in the victory over Chelsea, and more of the same was hoped for from them last night.
Marseille opened much the stronger, as Arsenal took a few minutes to find their feet. Gradually Arsenal began to get the upper hand in the first half, but the free flowing attacking football of last Saturday wasn't happening. Marseille made it a lot harder for Arsenal to find space than Chelsea did, and the Arsenal players made far too many basic errors in possession.
The best chance Arsenal had in the first half fell to Aaron Ramsey, but he took too long and his effort was blocked. There was one incident when Alou Diarra handled the ball in his own penalty area, but the officials would have done very well to have spotted it. He got away with it though, just as he had done two weeks ago.
At half time there was no score, but I hoped for Arsenal to step up the pace and get the goals they needed in the second half. RVP, Tomas Rosicky and Andrey Arshavin were all introduced during the second half for Park, Ramsey and Gervinho, but to no avail. RVP almost managed a winner for Arsenal late on, and Arsenal put the Marseille goalmouth under a lot of pressure in the later stages.
It was all to no avail though, as Marseille held out for a point to remain in second place in the group, just one point behind Arsenal. Borussis Dortmund beat Olympiacos 1-0 in the other game in the group to move four points behind Arsenal, and they will visit Arsenal in three weeks time. Marseille will play at home to Olympiacos on the same night, and it looks like the final places in the group won't be decided until the final group games in early December.
Arsenal may not have reached the heights of Saturday's victory over Chelsea, but they are still in the driving seat in their Champions League group. A win at home to Dortmund will ensure qualification, but the winners of the group probably won't be decided until the final games are played. If Arsenal are certain of qualifying it will be very interesting to see what team Wenger puts out in the final game away to Olympiacos.
Arsenal have played weakened teams at the end of the group stages previously, and suffered the consequences too. If Arsenal can win their group they will have a last 16 tie against a runner-up from another group with the second leg taking place at the Emirates. Those are advantages which Arsenal need to make use of if they are to have any chance of making the last eight.
I can't see this Arsenal team going any further than the last eight this season, but hope springs eternal and if they can make it that far they could spring a surprise. There's no telling what might happen in the next transfer window, but it won't be easy to find top quality players who will be free to play in Europe.
Next up for Arsenal is a home Premier League game against West Brom on Saturday afternoon at the unusual time of three p.m. It's a game Arsenal simply cannot afford to drop points in, and I expect Wenger to have his very strongest side out. I expect the teams ahead of Arsenal to win this weekend with the possible exception of Newcastle and Tottenhm Hotspur, and Arsenal need to be ready to take advantage of any slips.
It would be great if Arsenal could go into the international break on the back of four straight Premier League wins. It would certainly leave them in a far better position than they were in going into the previous two breaks.
That's it for today.
Here's the highlights from last night's game.
It's not too late to join the over 900 teams in my fantasy league, and there are prizes for the top three teams at the end of the season. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.
To join the predictions league, just go to the site and set up your predictions. Then use the code F688F-JCO to join my league. I'll update the league table in my predictions every week.
Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook, too.
I'm also a member of a very good and very active Arsenal group on Facebook which you can join here.
See You Tomorrow.
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Arsenal Beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1 To Reach The Carling Cup Quarter Finals.
Arsenal played Bolton Wanderers in the last 16 of the Carling Cup at the Emirates last night. The prize for the winners was a place in the quarter finals, and Arsenal hoped to reach that stage of the competition for the ninth season in a row. It's some achievement for a team that plays youth and reserve players in this competition every season.
Arsene Wenger stuck with his usual policy in the Carling Cup, as he chose a completely different team from the one that beat Stoke City on Sunday. The really big team news on the night was the return of Thomas Vermaelen to first team action for the first time since late August. He was partnered in the centre of the Arsenal defence by Sebastien Squillaci with Ignasi Miquel and Nico Yennaris as the full backs and Lukasz Fabianski in goal.
It meant Arsenal didn't actually have a recognised full back in the team, but both Miquel and debut boy Yennaris did very well on the night. Yennaris became the 14th Arsenal player to make his debut already this season which is an amazing statistic. I can remember a Liverpool team winning the league back in their heyday, and only using 14 players in the process.
The amount of players who have made their debuts so far this season is a real indicator of the upheaval in the squad between last season and this one. Despite all of that upheaval Arsenal have eventually managed to put a good run together, and they came into the game on the back of three consecutive victories. The team had also managed six wins in seven before this game, but the only defeat was unfortunately against local rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
In midfield both Francis Coquelin and Emmanuel Frimpong started with Yossi Benayoun and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain making up what looked more like a four man midfield. It left Andrey Arshavin playing behind Park Ju Young, as Arsenal's formation on the night was more like a 4-4-2 than a 4-3-3.
Bolton made plenty of changes themselves, but they still had a very strong looking team, and Arsenal were not going to have an easy night. The first half was a close fought one with Bolton's keeper making three saves from long-range Arsenal shots, and Arsenal holding fairly firm at the back. Half time arrived with the teams level at 0-0, and everything still to play for.
The second half had only just begun when Frimpong was caught in possession by ex Arsenal player Fabrice Muamba, and Bolton took advantage of the slip. Muamba exchanged passes with Ivan Klasnic before finishing firmly into the roof of the Arsenal net. Bolton had the lead and Arsenal needed to pick up the pace.
That lead thankfully only lasted six minutes, as Arshavin managed to get Arsenal back on level terms. He took a pass from Benayoun and ran at the Bolton defence with the ball. As the defenders backed off him in the penalty area he fired a very quick shot into the far corner of the net to level the scores.
Arsenal went ahead only three minutes later after some more very good work from Arshavin, and a sublime finish from Park. Arsenal won the ball in midfield and it was passed to Arshavin who ran quickly at the Bolton defence, as they backed off him yet again. Park made a great run on the left of Arshavin, and when the pass was played to him he hit it first time with his right foot into the far corner from 15 yards.
The finish would have made Thierry Henry proud when he was at his prime, and hopefully it can open the way for him to get more chances in the first team. His overall play on the night was very good, as he linked up excellently and his movement was top class too. Wenger looks like he may have a real option in attack when he chooses to rest captain Robin Van Persie.
Bolton came into the game a lot more after that and Fabianski had to make a few smart saves to keep the lead intact. He also had a couple of dodgy moments where he was a little lucky to get away with poor handling. However, Arsenal managed to ride their luck a little, and held out for a 2-1 win to reach the last eight yet again.
Vermaelen lasted 84 minutes on his return to the team, and despite some tightness in his calfs he will be available for selection against Chelsea in the early game on Saturday. His return to the squad is very important, as he is Arsenal's best defender in my opinion. It gives Wenger some real options for that game, and that cannot be a bad thing.
Both Frimpong and Chamberlain were replaced in the last 15 minutes by Oguzhan Ozyakup(try saying that after a few beers) and Ryo Miyaichi. Chamberlain may not have had the impact he had in his other two starts for Arsenal, but he still looked impressive. I thought Coquelin was impressive in midfield too, and his season on loan in France seems to have done him a lot of good.
It was a very good result for Arsenal considering the makeshift defence they had to put out on the night, and it keeps the momentum going. That's four wins in a row and seven in eight games now, but it won't be easy to continue that run on Saturday against Chelsea in the Premier League. The draw for the last eight of the Carling Cup will take place on Saturday before that game, and Arsenal will be playing their quarter final at the end of November.
That's it for today.
Here's the highlights from yesterday's game.
It's not too late to join over 900 teams in my Fantasy League, and there are prizes for the top three teams at the end of the season. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.
To join the predictions league, just go to the site and set up your predictions. Then use the code F688F-JCO to join my league. I'll update the league table in my predictions every week.
Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, tumblr and Facebook, too.
I'm also a member of a very good and very active Arsenal group on Facebook which you can join here.
See you tomorrow.
Arsene Wenger stuck with his usual policy in the Carling Cup, as he chose a completely different team from the one that beat Stoke City on Sunday. The really big team news on the night was the return of Thomas Vermaelen to first team action for the first time since late August. He was partnered in the centre of the Arsenal defence by Sebastien Squillaci with Ignasi Miquel and Nico Yennaris as the full backs and Lukasz Fabianski in goal.
It meant Arsenal didn't actually have a recognised full back in the team, but both Miquel and debut boy Yennaris did very well on the night. Yennaris became the 14th Arsenal player to make his debut already this season which is an amazing statistic. I can remember a Liverpool team winning the league back in their heyday, and only using 14 players in the process.
The amount of players who have made their debuts so far this season is a real indicator of the upheaval in the squad between last season and this one. Despite all of that upheaval Arsenal have eventually managed to put a good run together, and they came into the game on the back of three consecutive victories. The team had also managed six wins in seven before this game, but the only defeat was unfortunately against local rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
In midfield both Francis Coquelin and Emmanuel Frimpong started with Yossi Benayoun and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain making up what looked more like a four man midfield. It left Andrey Arshavin playing behind Park Ju Young, as Arsenal's formation on the night was more like a 4-4-2 than a 4-3-3.
Bolton made plenty of changes themselves, but they still had a very strong looking team, and Arsenal were not going to have an easy night. The first half was a close fought one with Bolton's keeper making three saves from long-range Arsenal shots, and Arsenal holding fairly firm at the back. Half time arrived with the teams level at 0-0, and everything still to play for.
The second half had only just begun when Frimpong was caught in possession by ex Arsenal player Fabrice Muamba, and Bolton took advantage of the slip. Muamba exchanged passes with Ivan Klasnic before finishing firmly into the roof of the Arsenal net. Bolton had the lead and Arsenal needed to pick up the pace.
That lead thankfully only lasted six minutes, as Arshavin managed to get Arsenal back on level terms. He took a pass from Benayoun and ran at the Bolton defence with the ball. As the defenders backed off him in the penalty area he fired a very quick shot into the far corner of the net to level the scores.
Arsenal went ahead only three minutes later after some more very good work from Arshavin, and a sublime finish from Park. Arsenal won the ball in midfield and it was passed to Arshavin who ran quickly at the Bolton defence, as they backed off him yet again. Park made a great run on the left of Arshavin, and when the pass was played to him he hit it first time with his right foot into the far corner from 15 yards.
The finish would have made Thierry Henry proud when he was at his prime, and hopefully it can open the way for him to get more chances in the first team. His overall play on the night was very good, as he linked up excellently and his movement was top class too. Wenger looks like he may have a real option in attack when he chooses to rest captain Robin Van Persie.
Bolton came into the game a lot more after that and Fabianski had to make a few smart saves to keep the lead intact. He also had a couple of dodgy moments where he was a little lucky to get away with poor handling. However, Arsenal managed to ride their luck a little, and held out for a 2-1 win to reach the last eight yet again.
Vermaelen lasted 84 minutes on his return to the team, and despite some tightness in his calfs he will be available for selection against Chelsea in the early game on Saturday. His return to the squad is very important, as he is Arsenal's best defender in my opinion. It gives Wenger some real options for that game, and that cannot be a bad thing.
Both Frimpong and Chamberlain were replaced in the last 15 minutes by Oguzhan Ozyakup(try saying that after a few beers) and Ryo Miyaichi. Chamberlain may not have had the impact he had in his other two starts for Arsenal, but he still looked impressive. I thought Coquelin was impressive in midfield too, and his season on loan in France seems to have done him a lot of good.
It was a very good result for Arsenal considering the makeshift defence they had to put out on the night, and it keeps the momentum going. That's four wins in a row and seven in eight games now, but it won't be easy to continue that run on Saturday against Chelsea in the Premier League. The draw for the last eight of the Carling Cup will take place on Saturday before that game, and Arsenal will be playing their quarter final at the end of November.
That's it for today.
Here's the highlights from yesterday's game.
It's not too late to join over 900 teams in my Fantasy League, and there are prizes for the top three teams at the end of the season. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.
To join the predictions league, just go to the site and set up your predictions. Then use the code F688F-JCO to join my league. I'll update the league table in my predictions every week.
Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, tumblr and Facebook, too.
I'm also a member of a very good and very active Arsenal group on Facebook which you can join here.
See you tomorrow.
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Arsenal's Carling Cup Game With Bolton Wanderers Previewed.
Arsenal are straight back into action tonight only two days after beating Stoke City 3-1 in the Premier League. Normally they wouldn't have two games so close to each other, but Arsene Wenger will probably have a completely different team to the one that started on Sunday. That team selection should see quite a few of the fringe players get another chance to impress in front of the home fans.
The Carling Cup is a competition Arsenal have done quite well in over the last few years considering that they have usually played a weakened team. Some of the performances put in by a mixture of youth and reserve team players over the years have been very good. It's not always easy for those players to make an impact in the first team, but it's great to get a chance to see them play occasionally.
The biggest problem for Arsenal tonight could be who to play in defence, as they have so many defensive injuries at the moment. The only fit full back with first team experience is Andre Santos, but the chances are he won't be playing as he played on Sunday. Arsenal had no defenders on the bench on Sunday, and it could be a real problem for tonight.
Obviously Lukasz Fabianski will play in goal, and I have a feeling that Johan Djourou will play too even though he was in Sunday's team. If both Sebastien Squillaci and Ignasi Miquel are fit they too are bound to play, but that's by no means certain. There is also a possibility that Thomas Vermaelen will play at some stage, as he is rumoured to be in the squad.
In midfield it's a straight call between Emmanuel Frimpong and Francis Coquelin for the defensive role. There is a possibility that Coquelin will play in defence which would mean Frimpong would be the one to play in midfield. Ahead of whichever one of those two plays both Tomas Rosicky and Yossi Benayoun are likely to be chosen, and they have plenty of class and experience between them.
Arsene Wenger has already said Park Ju Young will start in attack, and I would imagine that both Andrey Arshavin and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will play on either side of him. Arshavin has been off form when he has started games this season, but he has done well when he has come on from the bench. I'm hoping he can find some of the form he shows for Russia and cause Bolton some real problems.
Chamberlain has shown real promise in the few games he has played this season, and I'm hoping to see more of the same from him tonight. He has only started two games for Arsenal's first team so far this season, but he has scored in both games. He has also been a real star for the England under 21 team in that time, and the future looks really bright for him.
With so many players from Sunday not playing the Arsenal bench could have a very youthful look to it. I hope to see Ryo Miyaichi make an appearance at some time tonight too, but like Chamberlain he is still very young and full of lots of promise too.
Hopefully there will be a good turnout to see all the fringe players do their stuff, and those who are there will be treated to some good attacking football from Arsenal.
Bolton have had a bad start to their season and they're currently in the relegation zone in the Premier League after seven defeats in their first nine games. They have leaked an awful lot of goals in those games too, but they will see the possibility of a quarter final slot in the Carling Cup as a chance to turn things around. Since their FA Cup semi final defeat to Stoke City last season they have been in virtual free fall, and it's a factor Arsenal should take into account tonight.
I think Arsenal can open up the Bolton defence by going at them and putting them under pressure, as they must be short of confidence at the moment. I know Arsenal's defending has been far from ideal at times this season, but Bolton's has been even worse. I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Arsenal, and it would be nice to see both Park and Chamberlain get themselves on the score sheet too.
I'm not sure if I'll be able to see the game live, as it's never easy to get a stream for Carling Cup games. I'll be trawling through twitter later to see if anybody has a good stream, but I've a feeling I'll be following the game between twitter and the BBC site. It's never an easy way to follow a game, but it's the lot of a fan at times.
That's it for today.
Here's the highlights from yesterday's game.
It's not too late to join over 900 teams in my Fantasy League, and there are prizes for the top three teams at the end of the season. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.
To join the predictions league, just go to the site and set up your predictions. Then use the code F688F-JCO to join my league. I'll update the league table in my predictions every week.
Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, tumblr and Facebook, too.
I'm also a member of a very good and very active Arsenal group on Facebook which you can join here.
See you tomorrow.
The Carling Cup is a competition Arsenal have done quite well in over the last few years considering that they have usually played a weakened team. Some of the performances put in by a mixture of youth and reserve team players over the years have been very good. It's not always easy for those players to make an impact in the first team, but it's great to get a chance to see them play occasionally.
The biggest problem for Arsenal tonight could be who to play in defence, as they have so many defensive injuries at the moment. The only fit full back with first team experience is Andre Santos, but the chances are he won't be playing as he played on Sunday. Arsenal had no defenders on the bench on Sunday, and it could be a real problem for tonight.
Obviously Lukasz Fabianski will play in goal, and I have a feeling that Johan Djourou will play too even though he was in Sunday's team. If both Sebastien Squillaci and Ignasi Miquel are fit they too are bound to play, but that's by no means certain. There is also a possibility that Thomas Vermaelen will play at some stage, as he is rumoured to be in the squad.
In midfield it's a straight call between Emmanuel Frimpong and Francis Coquelin for the defensive role. There is a possibility that Coquelin will play in defence which would mean Frimpong would be the one to play in midfield. Ahead of whichever one of those two plays both Tomas Rosicky and Yossi Benayoun are likely to be chosen, and they have plenty of class and experience between them.
Arsene Wenger has already said Park Ju Young will start in attack, and I would imagine that both Andrey Arshavin and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will play on either side of him. Arshavin has been off form when he has started games this season, but he has done well when he has come on from the bench. I'm hoping he can find some of the form he shows for Russia and cause Bolton some real problems.
Chamberlain has shown real promise in the few games he has played this season, and I'm hoping to see more of the same from him tonight. He has only started two games for Arsenal's first team so far this season, but he has scored in both games. He has also been a real star for the England under 21 team in that time, and the future looks really bright for him.
With so many players from Sunday not playing the Arsenal bench could have a very youthful look to it. I hope to see Ryo Miyaichi make an appearance at some time tonight too, but like Chamberlain he is still very young and full of lots of promise too.
Hopefully there will be a good turnout to see all the fringe players do their stuff, and those who are there will be treated to some good attacking football from Arsenal.
Bolton have had a bad start to their season and they're currently in the relegation zone in the Premier League after seven defeats in their first nine games. They have leaked an awful lot of goals in those games too, but they will see the possibility of a quarter final slot in the Carling Cup as a chance to turn things around. Since their FA Cup semi final defeat to Stoke City last season they have been in virtual free fall, and it's a factor Arsenal should take into account tonight.
I think Arsenal can open up the Bolton defence by going at them and putting them under pressure, as they must be short of confidence at the moment. I know Arsenal's defending has been far from ideal at times this season, but Bolton's has been even worse. I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Arsenal, and it would be nice to see both Park and Chamberlain get themselves on the score sheet too.
I'm not sure if I'll be able to see the game live, as it's never easy to get a stream for Carling Cup games. I'll be trawling through twitter later to see if anybody has a good stream, but I've a feeling I'll be following the game between twitter and the BBC site. It's never an easy way to follow a game, but it's the lot of a fan at times.
That's it for today.
Here's the highlights from yesterday's game.
It's not too late to join over 900 teams in my Fantasy League, and there are prizes for the top three teams at the end of the season. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.
To join the predictions league, just go to the site and set up your predictions. Then use the code F688F-JCO to join my league. I'll update the league table in my predictions every week.
Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, tumblr and Facebook, too.
I'm also a member of a very good and very active Arsenal group on Facebook which you can join here.
See you tomorrow.
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Arsenal's Champions League Game With Olympiacos Previewed.
Arsenal's league campaign hasn't got off to the best of starts this season, but they have played four cup games so far without losing any of them. Three of those games have been in the Champions League where they have managed two wins and a draw against tough opposition. They will be looking to add another win to that statistic to put them in a strong position in their Champions League group.
Olympiacos lost their first game in the group at home to a Marseille team that are struggling to make an impact in their domestic league. Olympiacos have won their first two league games in Greece so far, but it's a big step up for them to Champions League level. Their record on the road in the Champions League isn't very good, but they did manage to beat Arsenal at home in the group stages two seasons ago.
On that night Arsenal played a weakened team, as they had already won their group and the trip to Greece can be quite grueling. When Olympiacos came to the Emirates in late September 2009 they managed to keep Arsenal scoreless until just over 10 minutes to go. Arsenal managed two goals in the last 12 minutes through Robin Van Persie and Andrey Arshavin to win the game, but they really should have won by more.
The latest injury news from Arsenal isn't very encouraging, as their casualties continue to mount. Jack Wilshere won't play again until February at the earliest, but there are real concerns that his season could be over. Abu Diaby hasn't been seen at all so far this season, but the club have said he should return after the next international break along with Thomas Vermaelen.
The latest players to be added to the injury list are Theo Walcott, Laurent Koscielny and Gervinho. They join Johan Djourou, Sebastien Squillaci and Yossi Benayoun who all have short term injuries and will not be available to play tonight.
It means Arsene Wenger will have to switch things around a little against Olympiacos, and there is always a possibility he will change the formation slightly. The biggest problem will be who plays alongside Per Mertesacker in the centre of defence with only Ignasi Miquel and possibly Alex Song being the candidates. If Song plays it means Arsenal will lose some of their defensive strength in midfield, and I'm not overly confident of his ability and concentration in defence.
It would be asking an awful lot of Miquel to step up to this level, but I think he is capable of playing in this game at least as long as he is fit. I have a feeling Song will get the nod though which should mean Emmanuel Frimpong gets to play the defensive role in midfield. If Wenger goes with a different formation it could see Francis Coquelin play alongside Frimpong in a four-four-two, but I think he will stick with his favoured four-three-three.
The other two midfielders are bound to be both Mikael Arteta and Aaron Ramsey with Robin Van Persie filling the centre forward role. That leaves Andrey Arshavin as one of the wide players, and then Wenger has to decide who plays on the other side. I wouldn't be surprised to see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain play, as there are so few other options but I have a feeling Ju Young Park might get to play.
He hasn't played much since his arrival at the club, but Wenger stated that he can play in any of the three attacking roles in the team when he signed him. It's a chance for him to show the Arsenal fans what he can do alongside the strongest team Arsenal have available on the night, unlike his previous appearance against Shrewsbury Town.
The Arsenal bench might have a very young look to it with so many players out injured, and hopefully those injuries won't be added to. I think Chamberlain will be seen at some stage during the game, and I hope to see him running at Olympiacos with the ball and causing them problems. He's a player with real potential and ability, and I'm sure he has a great future at the club.
Despite the glut of injuries Arsenal have more than enough about them to make things very tough for Olympiacos, and they need to put them away when the chance arises. Olympiacos do not travel well in European football, and as long as Arsenal put them under pressure they will create the chances they need. A win should set Arsenal up nicely going into the international break with the Marseille double-header to come afterwards.
I think Arsenal will win 2-0 with RVP adding to the 100 goals he has scored for the club already. He has been absolutely fantastic since he returned from injury at the start of January, and without him at the moment Arsenal would have a real struggle on their hands. It is vital for them that he stays fit and able to play the north London derby at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Wenger will again be in the stands tonight, as he sits out the rest of his UEFA ban imposed upon him for making contact with the bench while serving a ban for his reaction to Arsenal's defeat to Barcelona last season. The ban is a joke, as others have done the same thing before and escaped censure and he was told by the UEFA official on the night that he was working within the rules. Hopefully Pat Rice can do as well as he did in charge of the team away to Borussia Dortmund in Arsenal's previous Champions League game.
That's it for today.
It's not too late to join over 850 teams in my Fantasy League and there are prizes for the top three teams at the end of the season. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.
To join the predictions league just go to the site and set up your predictions. Then use the code F688F-JCO to join my league. I'll update the league table in my predictions every week.
Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, tumblr and Facebook too.
I'm also a member of a very good and very active Arsenal group on Facebook which you can join here.
Here's the highlights of Arsenal's 2-0 win over Olympiacos two years ago.
See You Tomorrow.
Olympiacos lost their first game in the group at home to a Marseille team that are struggling to make an impact in their domestic league. Olympiacos have won their first two league games in Greece so far, but it's a big step up for them to Champions League level. Their record on the road in the Champions League isn't very good, but they did manage to beat Arsenal at home in the group stages two seasons ago.
On that night Arsenal played a weakened team, as they had already won their group and the trip to Greece can be quite grueling. When Olympiacos came to the Emirates in late September 2009 they managed to keep Arsenal scoreless until just over 10 minutes to go. Arsenal managed two goals in the last 12 minutes through Robin Van Persie and Andrey Arshavin to win the game, but they really should have won by more.
The latest injury news from Arsenal isn't very encouraging, as their casualties continue to mount. Jack Wilshere won't play again until February at the earliest, but there are real concerns that his season could be over. Abu Diaby hasn't been seen at all so far this season, but the club have said he should return after the next international break along with Thomas Vermaelen.
The latest players to be added to the injury list are Theo Walcott, Laurent Koscielny and Gervinho. They join Johan Djourou, Sebastien Squillaci and Yossi Benayoun who all have short term injuries and will not be available to play tonight.
It means Arsene Wenger will have to switch things around a little against Olympiacos, and there is always a possibility he will change the formation slightly. The biggest problem will be who plays alongside Per Mertesacker in the centre of defence with only Ignasi Miquel and possibly Alex Song being the candidates. If Song plays it means Arsenal will lose some of their defensive strength in midfield, and I'm not overly confident of his ability and concentration in defence.
It would be asking an awful lot of Miquel to step up to this level, but I think he is capable of playing in this game at least as long as he is fit. I have a feeling Song will get the nod though which should mean Emmanuel Frimpong gets to play the defensive role in midfield. If Wenger goes with a different formation it could see Francis Coquelin play alongside Frimpong in a four-four-two, but I think he will stick with his favoured four-three-three.
The other two midfielders are bound to be both Mikael Arteta and Aaron Ramsey with Robin Van Persie filling the centre forward role. That leaves Andrey Arshavin as one of the wide players, and then Wenger has to decide who plays on the other side. I wouldn't be surprised to see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain play, as there are so few other options but I have a feeling Ju Young Park might get to play.
He hasn't played much since his arrival at the club, but Wenger stated that he can play in any of the three attacking roles in the team when he signed him. It's a chance for him to show the Arsenal fans what he can do alongside the strongest team Arsenal have available on the night, unlike his previous appearance against Shrewsbury Town.
The Arsenal bench might have a very young look to it with so many players out injured, and hopefully those injuries won't be added to. I think Chamberlain will be seen at some stage during the game, and I hope to see him running at Olympiacos with the ball and causing them problems. He's a player with real potential and ability, and I'm sure he has a great future at the club.
Despite the glut of injuries Arsenal have more than enough about them to make things very tough for Olympiacos, and they need to put them away when the chance arises. Olympiacos do not travel well in European football, and as long as Arsenal put them under pressure they will create the chances they need. A win should set Arsenal up nicely going into the international break with the Marseille double-header to come afterwards.
I think Arsenal will win 2-0 with RVP adding to the 100 goals he has scored for the club already. He has been absolutely fantastic since he returned from injury at the start of January, and without him at the moment Arsenal would have a real struggle on their hands. It is vital for them that he stays fit and able to play the north London derby at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Wenger will again be in the stands tonight, as he sits out the rest of his UEFA ban imposed upon him for making contact with the bench while serving a ban for his reaction to Arsenal's defeat to Barcelona last season. The ban is a joke, as others have done the same thing before and escaped censure and he was told by the UEFA official on the night that he was working within the rules. Hopefully Pat Rice can do as well as he did in charge of the team away to Borussia Dortmund in Arsenal's previous Champions League game.
That's it for today.
It's not too late to join over 850 teams in my Fantasy League and there are prizes for the top three teams at the end of the season. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.
To join the predictions league just go to the site and set up your predictions. Then use the code F688F-JCO to join my league. I'll update the league table in my predictions every week.
Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, tumblr and Facebook too.
I'm also a member of a very good and very active Arsenal group on Facebook which you can join here.
Here's the highlights of Arsenal's 2-0 win over Olympiacos two years ago.
See You Tomorrow.
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Six Arsenal Players To Watch Against Shrewsbury Town.
Arsenal host League Two side Shrewsbury Town tonight in the third round of the Carling Cup. It's an opportunity for Arsene Wenger to showcase some of his fringe players, as well as some of the young talent available to him. In this article I will attempt to assess the relative strengths of some of those players who might get a chance.
Arsenal's Carling Cup Game With Shrewsbury Town Previewed
With the weekend Premier League defeat to Blackburn Rovers still fresh in the minds of their fans Arsenal are back in action tonight. They face a home game against League Two side Shrewsbury Town in the third round of the Carling Cup. Arsenal took this competition a lot more seriously than usual last season and reached the final where they were beaten 2-1 by Birmingham City.
It was a game Arsenal should have won, but a comical piece of defending in the last minute cost them the game. It's a scenario that sounds all too familiar to Arsenal fans and this season has started with more of the same from the team. The manner of their defeat to Blackburn on Saturday was another episode from the Arsenal manual of how not to defend, and it's a problem which has to be sorted out before it's too late.
A good win against Shrewsbury could be just the tonic the Arsenal players need, and that's a good argument for playing a strong team against them. I think the players might be better served getting in a full week's work on the training ground, as there has been no real time for the new players to settle in since they signed on deadline day. Hopefully a full week of defensive work on the training ground will be of some advantage to the team as a whole.
If that's the case then Arsene Wenger will use the fringe players and younger players against Shrewsbury, and I think that's the most likely method of team selection. It means the Arsenal fans will get a chance to see some of the promising players at the club showing what they can do, and I like that prospect. In previous seasons those young players have performed really well in this competition, and they have never let the club down.
I expect Arsene Wenger to start with a completely different team to the one that started against Blackburn on Saturday. It should see Lukasz Fabianski in goal with Carl Jenkinson and Kieran Gibbs as the two full backs. I think the central defensive pairing will probably be Johan Djourou and Ignasi Miquel, and it will hopefully give Djourou a chance to play in his favourite position after his troubles as a substitute for Bacary Sagna on Saturday.
The midfield should see Emmanuel Frimpong play from the start and I think Yossi Benayoun will play in front of him. The other midfield player isn't so easy to predict, but I think Alec Oxlade-Chamberlain can play there. He's probably seen as a winger, but I think Wenger will be happy to see him operate behind a central striker.
The attacking trio will probably be led by Marouane Chamakh with Ju Young Park on one side of him and possibly Ryo Miyaichi on the other if he is fit enough to play. Chamakh got his first goal since last November when he came on as a substitute on Saturday, and hopefully it will help him to regain some confidence. The two wide players will be making their competitive debuts for Arsenal, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do.
If Ryo isn't fit enough to start I think Francis Coquelin will play in the midfield with Chamberlain going into a wide role. If he was to play alongside Frimpong it might give the team a more defensive look to it, and I don't think Wenger will go for that. That Arsenal lineup has six full internationals in it, as well as some really promising talent and it's good enough to get a result on the night.
Shrewsbury have had a good start to the season and they currently sit in an automatic promotion slot in League Two. However, Arsenal have to be huge favourites to win the game, regardless of how they have played so far this season. The class of the Arsenal players is not something which is in doubt, but their ability to make that class tell is under scrutiny.
In previous seasons the young Arsenal players have gone out and played with passion and commitment in the Carling Cup, and with no little skill either. The performance tonight might point to how much recent results have affected the whole squad if the players turn in a below par performance. I'm hoping for the opposite, as the youngsters take the opportunity to showcase their talents and show Wenger why they should be considered for the first team.
With the club selling Carling Cup tickets at a reduced price there should be a large turnout for the game, and hopefully those fans can get behind the team. A good performance from the team, as well as some very vocal support could be just the tonic the club as a whole needs.
I want Arsenal to win of course, but ultimately the Carling Cup is the least important competition the club will play in this season. I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Arsenal with Chamberlain hopefully playing a starring role. I would gladly sacrifice progression in the Carling Cup for six points in Arsenal's next two league games against Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur.
The game isn't live on TV to the best of my knowledge which means I'll be looking for a stream like so many other Arsenal fans if I want to watch it live. The details to follow me on Twitter are below, and I'll gladly share any stream I get with anyone looking for it.
That's it for today.
Here's a little bit of what Chamberlain can do.
It's not too late to join over 850 teams in my Fantasy League and there are prizes for the top three teams at the end of the season. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.
To join the predictions league just go to the site and set up your predictions. Then use the code F688F-JCO to join my league. I'll update the league table in my predictions every week.
Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, tumblr and Facebook too.
I'm also a member of a very good and very active Arsenal group on Facebook which you can join here.
See You Tomorrow.
It was a game Arsenal should have won, but a comical piece of defending in the last minute cost them the game. It's a scenario that sounds all too familiar to Arsenal fans and this season has started with more of the same from the team. The manner of their defeat to Blackburn on Saturday was another episode from the Arsenal manual of how not to defend, and it's a problem which has to be sorted out before it's too late.
A good win against Shrewsbury could be just the tonic the Arsenal players need, and that's a good argument for playing a strong team against them. I think the players might be better served getting in a full week's work on the training ground, as there has been no real time for the new players to settle in since they signed on deadline day. Hopefully a full week of defensive work on the training ground will be of some advantage to the team as a whole.
If that's the case then Arsene Wenger will use the fringe players and younger players against Shrewsbury, and I think that's the most likely method of team selection. It means the Arsenal fans will get a chance to see some of the promising players at the club showing what they can do, and I like that prospect. In previous seasons those young players have performed really well in this competition, and they have never let the club down.
I expect Arsene Wenger to start with a completely different team to the one that started against Blackburn on Saturday. It should see Lukasz Fabianski in goal with Carl Jenkinson and Kieran Gibbs as the two full backs. I think the central defensive pairing will probably be Johan Djourou and Ignasi Miquel, and it will hopefully give Djourou a chance to play in his favourite position after his troubles as a substitute for Bacary Sagna on Saturday.
The midfield should see Emmanuel Frimpong play from the start and I think Yossi Benayoun will play in front of him. The other midfield player isn't so easy to predict, but I think Alec Oxlade-Chamberlain can play there. He's probably seen as a winger, but I think Wenger will be happy to see him operate behind a central striker.
The attacking trio will probably be led by Marouane Chamakh with Ju Young Park on one side of him and possibly Ryo Miyaichi on the other if he is fit enough to play. Chamakh got his first goal since last November when he came on as a substitute on Saturday, and hopefully it will help him to regain some confidence. The two wide players will be making their competitive debuts for Arsenal, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do.
If Ryo isn't fit enough to start I think Francis Coquelin will play in the midfield with Chamberlain going into a wide role. If he was to play alongside Frimpong it might give the team a more defensive look to it, and I don't think Wenger will go for that. That Arsenal lineup has six full internationals in it, as well as some really promising talent and it's good enough to get a result on the night.
Shrewsbury have had a good start to the season and they currently sit in an automatic promotion slot in League Two. However, Arsenal have to be huge favourites to win the game, regardless of how they have played so far this season. The class of the Arsenal players is not something which is in doubt, but their ability to make that class tell is under scrutiny.
In previous seasons the young Arsenal players have gone out and played with passion and commitment in the Carling Cup, and with no little skill either. The performance tonight might point to how much recent results have affected the whole squad if the players turn in a below par performance. I'm hoping for the opposite, as the youngsters take the opportunity to showcase their talents and show Wenger why they should be considered for the first team.
With the club selling Carling Cup tickets at a reduced price there should be a large turnout for the game, and hopefully those fans can get behind the team. A good performance from the team, as well as some very vocal support could be just the tonic the club as a whole needs.
I want Arsenal to win of course, but ultimately the Carling Cup is the least important competition the club will play in this season. I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Arsenal with Chamberlain hopefully playing a starring role. I would gladly sacrifice progression in the Carling Cup for six points in Arsenal's next two league games against Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur.
The game isn't live on TV to the best of my knowledge which means I'll be looking for a stream like so many other Arsenal fans if I want to watch it live. The details to follow me on Twitter are below, and I'll gladly share any stream I get with anyone looking for it.
That's it for today.
Here's a little bit of what Chamberlain can do.
It's not too late to join over 850 teams in my Fantasy League and there are prizes for the top three teams at the end of the season. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.
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Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, tumblr and Facebook too.
I'm also a member of a very good and very active Arsenal group on Facebook which you can join here.
See You Tomorrow.
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