When Arsene Wenger took the reins at Arsenal 16 years ago he continued to play a traditional English 4-4-2 system. He had inherited some very good players, and he added to them with some excellent purchases of his own. The core of the team was the defence which had been at Arsenal for so many years.
Just in front of that defence he has two strong and athletic players in Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit. They could do everything that was required of them defensively, and allow other flair players to do most of the attacking. It meant Arsenal relied on their strikers and two wide players for most of their attacking threat and their goals.
Over the next nine years that system never really changed, and it brought Arsenal plenty of success too. The Invincibles were built on a very similar formation, and the central duo of Vieira and Gilberto Silva did the hard work for the team. The two wide players terrorised defences, and Thirrry Henry scored goals for fun.
With the emergence of Cesc Fabregas Arsenal changed their formation, and their style of play too. They depended more on possession football, and prying defences open with intricate passing. The trophies dried up for many reasons, but with the departure of Fabregas last summer it could be time for them to consider changing their tactics and formation again.
The problems with a change would be vast of course, as Wenger has brought in players to suit his system. There are no midfield powerhouses any more, and the wide players don't possess the goalscoring ability of Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires. With the almost inevitable departure of Robin van Persie they need to find someone as prolific to replace him if possible too.
It would be an enormous task for Wenger to undertake, and he is still in the middle of his current project too. Since the emergence of Chelsea and their owner's vast fortunes Arsenal have tried to find a different way to compete at the top in English football. Their model of sustainability along with their large new stadium has made it difficult for them to compete in the transfer market, but Wenger rarely went out to buy ready-made players.
The hopes are that they will reap the rewards of their policies in years to come when financial fair play brings a halt to the vast sums of money being spent by Chelsea, and now Manchester City too. It's a tough route to follow for Arsenal fans, but it's clearly the one that makes sense in the long run. Arsenal fans had become used to winning trophies, and their current trophy drought is not easy to take for many.
Perhaps a return to the formation which won them so many trophies would see them regain some of their former glories, but I doubt it. With the players currently available to Arsenal I can't see any other way they can attempt to play. It's impossible to tell what stature a player will reach when he is signed at a young age, and ready made midfield giants who can actually play the game are hard to come by.
There are a few changes Wenger could make to his tactics which would be easy to integrate into the current system though. A favourite tactic of mine which Arsenal utilised so well in the past was "third man running", and I would love to see it used again. For Arsenal to do so all they would have to change is the way they defend corners and free kicks into their own penalty area.
I can't understand why every single Arsenal player defends when the opposition have a free kick, corner or a throw in. It means the ball comes straight back at them if they clear it, and I'm all for leaving one man up front when Arsenal are defending set pieces. For Arsenal to start using the "third man running" tactic again it is essential for one player to remain in a threatening position to the opposition.
It's a tactic which is very simple, and it proved to be very effective in the past. The lone player up front takes possession of the ball from an Arsenal clearance, and plays it back to another player advancing from the penalty area. His first time pass is then played behind the opposing defence to the third man who is running in behind them on either side.
With the passing ability of some of the current Arsenal team, and the speed of both Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain it is surely something which should be considered. It won't work every time of course, but if applied correctly it could lead to a few goals and worry opposing defences too. At the very worst it gives Arsenal an out ball when defending a set piece, and gives their defence some time to regroup.
That's it for today.
See you tomorrow.
Showing posts with label Robert Pires. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Pires. Show all posts
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Monday, 21 November 2011
Arsenal Beat Norwich 2-1 To Continue Their Revival
Arsenal went to Norwich in the early kick off on Saturday knowing that they needed a win to put pressure on the teams above them. I had said before the game that Arsenal needed to take their chances to ensure victory, and they just about managed to take enough chances to take all three points. During the first half Arsenal missed so many good chances that I was worried they would pay a price for it later.
When Per Mertesacker made a mess of clearing a long hopeful ball from Norwich in the 16th minute Norwich took their only real chance in the first half and went 1-0 up. Arsenal had played really well before that goal, and opened up the Norwich defence at will. It only took Arsenal 11 minutes to equalise when Robin Van Persie slotted home after some good work by Theo Walcott.
Before that goal Norwich's Russell Martin had cleared off the line to save them on three seperate occasions. The first of those clearances was from a Walcott effort which looked destined for the back of the net. I don't think Martin knew exactly how he managed to put the ball over the bar, and Walcott could have done no more to try to score.
Arsenal's intensity fell off a little after the equaliser, but they still missed a couple of good chances before the break. Arsenal took the lead 14 minutes into the second half when the Aaron Ramsey won the ball in midfield, and the referee played a good advantage after he was dragged down. Alex Song broke clear and played in RVP who chipped the ball over the advancing goalkeeper into the corner of the net.
Song had a choice of RVP or Gervinho to play in, but thankfully he chose RVP as Gervinho definitely didn't have his shooting boots on. Both Gervinho and Walcott had a lot of joy in the wide positions, but I'm not quite sure how they ended the game without a goal between them.
Arsenal's inability to finish Norwich off made things a little nervy towards the end, but they held out with relative ease to take all three points. The only real disappointment for me was that Arsenal didn't take the opportunity to increase their goal difference. A few more goals should have been scored, and they would have helped to close the game on the three other teams who are level on points with Arsenal.
Saturday's victory was Arsenal's fifth in a row in the Premier League, and they are right back in the race to finish in a Champions League place. Four of the teams above them played each other this weekend, and next weekend will see more of the same with Manchester United playing Newcastle and Liverpool playing Manchester City too. A win for Arsenal at home to Fulham next Saturday evening could possibly see them move into the top four for the first time this season.
Before that game there's the vital Champions League group game at home to Borussi Dortmund on Wednesday night. Arsenal top the group at the moment, but with Marseille at home to Olympiacos the chances are they will need a victory against Dortmund to stay there going into the last game. It won't be an easy task against a team which won away to Bayern Munich at the weekend to put themselves right back in contention in their defence of their German league title.
The goal was scored by Arsenal target Mario Gotze, and he will be the player to watch on Wednesday night in my opinion. If Arsenal were to directly replace Cesc Fabregas he would be one of the few players possibly capable of filling the role. Arsenal will be trying to sign him in January I'm sure, and his addition to the team could be the factor to push them on to greater things if he arrives.
His addition would give Arsenal some excellent options in midfield with Ramsey, Abu Diaby, Mikael Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere all competing for two places. It's a headache Arsene Wenger would be delighted to have I'm sure, and hopefully he will get the chance in January. If Arsenal can win on Wednesday night and ensure Dortmund cannot qualify for the last 16 it could just be the catalyst Gotze needs to move.
That's it for today.
Here's the highlights from Saturday's game(with thanks to 101greatgoals)
See You Tomorrow.
When Per Mertesacker made a mess of clearing a long hopeful ball from Norwich in the 16th minute Norwich took their only real chance in the first half and went 1-0 up. Arsenal had played really well before that goal, and opened up the Norwich defence at will. It only took Arsenal 11 minutes to equalise when Robin Van Persie slotted home after some good work by Theo Walcott.
Before that goal Norwich's Russell Martin had cleared off the line to save them on three seperate occasions. The first of those clearances was from a Walcott effort which looked destined for the back of the net. I don't think Martin knew exactly how he managed to put the ball over the bar, and Walcott could have done no more to try to score.
Arsenal's intensity fell off a little after the equaliser, but they still missed a couple of good chances before the break. Arsenal took the lead 14 minutes into the second half when the Aaron Ramsey won the ball in midfield, and the referee played a good advantage after he was dragged down. Alex Song broke clear and played in RVP who chipped the ball over the advancing goalkeeper into the corner of the net.
Song had a choice of RVP or Gervinho to play in, but thankfully he chose RVP as Gervinho definitely didn't have his shooting boots on. Both Gervinho and Walcott had a lot of joy in the wide positions, but I'm not quite sure how they ended the game without a goal between them.
Arsenal's inability to finish Norwich off made things a little nervy towards the end, but they held out with relative ease to take all three points. The only real disappointment for me was that Arsenal didn't take the opportunity to increase their goal difference. A few more goals should have been scored, and they would have helped to close the game on the three other teams who are level on points with Arsenal.
Saturday's victory was Arsenal's fifth in a row in the Premier League, and they are right back in the race to finish in a Champions League place. Four of the teams above them played each other this weekend, and next weekend will see more of the same with Manchester United playing Newcastle and Liverpool playing Manchester City too. A win for Arsenal at home to Fulham next Saturday evening could possibly see them move into the top four for the first time this season.
Before that game there's the vital Champions League group game at home to Borussi Dortmund on Wednesday night. Arsenal top the group at the moment, but with Marseille at home to Olympiacos the chances are they will need a victory against Dortmund to stay there going into the last game. It won't be an easy task against a team which won away to Bayern Munich at the weekend to put themselves right back in contention in their defence of their German league title.
The goal was scored by Arsenal target Mario Gotze, and he will be the player to watch on Wednesday night in my opinion. If Arsenal were to directly replace Cesc Fabregas he would be one of the few players possibly capable of filling the role. Arsenal will be trying to sign him in January I'm sure, and his addition to the team could be the factor to push them on to greater things if he arrives.
His addition would give Arsenal some excellent options in midfield with Ramsey, Abu Diaby, Mikael Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere all competing for two places. It's a headache Arsene Wenger would be delighted to have I'm sure, and hopefully he will get the chance in January. If Arsenal can win on Wednesday night and ensure Dortmund cannot qualify for the last 16 it could just be the catalyst Gotze needs to move.
That's it for today.
Here's the highlights from Saturday's game(with thanks to 101greatgoals)
See You Tomorrow.
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Tottenham v Arsenal: History of the North London Rivalry
Arsenal make the short journey to White Harte Lane on Sunday to play their local rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. The two teams are very close geographically, but in terms of history and trophies there is a wide gap between them.
Arsenal have won 13 league titles compared to Tottenham's two, and overall Arsenal have won 27 major honours against Tottenham's 17. The big difference of course is in the number of league titles, and that's the true measure of the greatness of any team in England.
The rivalry didn't really begin until 1913 when Arsenal moved from Plumstead to a new stadium in Highbury which was only five miles away from Spurs' ground. It meant the two teams became local rivals, and there is always animosity between local rivals in football.
Arsenal were a second division club at the time and Spurs were in the top flight, but that didn't last very long. World War One interrupted the world of football from 1914 until 1918, and when the war was over things took a turn in Arsenal's favour. There were plans to expand the first division from 20 teams to 22 teams, and Spurs hoped to stay up despite finishing 20th in the last season prior to the war.
Somehow or other Arsenal managed to take the last spot in the top flight despite the fact that they had only finished sixth in the second division in that last season before the war. There were rumours and allegations that Arsenal chairman Sir Henry Norris had used underhand dealings to obtain their promotion, but nothing was ever proven. Needless to say Spurs were far from happy with the outcome, but they soon won promotion back to the first division to set up the rivalry.
The first league encounter between the sides was in early 1921, and Spurs won 2-1 at home. After that the games between the sides became rather heated, and after a particularly vicious game in 1922 the FA threatened to make both teams play behind closed doors.
The rivalry might have become even more intense after that, but Spurs spent most of the time between 1928 and 1950 in the second division. During that time Arsenal rose to prominence in English football with six league titles to their name, while their local rivals still had none to their name. Spurs only spent two seasons in the top league in that time, and Arsenal won the title on both occasions.
Directly after the second World War things improved between both clubs, as Spurs allowed Arsenal to use their ground. Highbury had suffered bombing damage during the war, and Spurs proved that rivalries can be forgotten in times of need by offering their ground for use.
Spurs were promoted back to the Premier League in 1950, and they have remained there ever since with the exception of the 1977/8 season. Arsenal have of course never been relegated since that season when they mysteriously managed to gain a place in the top flight in 1919.
Arsenal have had the pleasure of winning the league title on Tottenham's ground on two occasions in 1971 and 2004. The 1971 victory also brought Arsenal their first domestic league and cup double which emulated the Spurs achievement of 1961. Up until then Spurs were the only team to manage that feat in the 20th century, but others have gone on to do it since and Arsenal have three doubles to their name now.
Arsenal fans are very fond of reminding their Spurs rivals that it has been 50 years since they last won a league title, and Arsenal have won six of them since then. The Spurs fans look for solace where they can find it, but occasional cup victories hardly compensate for league titles.
When Spurs beat Arsenal in the 1991 FA Cup semi final their fans decided to celebrate by naming April 14th as St. Hotspur Day. Arsenal fans have since celebrated what they call St. Totteringham's Day on the day when Spurs can no longer mathematically catch them in the league. Since Arsene Wenger took over at Arsenal they have celebrated St. Totteringham's Day every single one of the 15 seasons he has been their manager.
Since the advent of the Champions League Arsenal have also managed to qualify for the competition every season under Wenger, but Spurs have only once managed to do so. Arsenal made it to the final in 2006, and the failure to beat Barcelona was probably the highlight of that season for Spurs fans.
At the very end of that season Spurs had the chance to finally finish above Arsenal in the league, but they lost their game against West Ham on the final day of the season to allow Arsenal to overtake them. It was a dramatic day as Spurs looked to have their game called off due to a bout of food poisoning among their players, but the game went ahead. Apparently a dodgy lasagna was blamed for the sickness, but there have also been suggestions that the team simply bottled it.
Due to the intense rivalry between both clubs there have been very few players who have played for both of them during their careers. Jimmy Robertson is the only player to have scored for both clubs in the north London derby, but there is a chance for Emmanuel Adebayor to become the second player to do so this Sunday. He is only the 15th player ever to have played for both clubs.
Perhaps the most famous and controversial player to cross the divide was Sol Campbell who left Spurs in the summer of 2001 on a free transfer to join Arsenal. He was Tottenham's captain at the time, and the move did not go down well with their fans. He claimed to have left Tottenham to win trophies, and the two league titles and two FA Cups he won probably justify his decision.
He has actually won as many league titles with Arsenal as Spurs have ever won. He also played in and scored in the 2006 Champions League final, and at Spurs he never got the chance to play in that competition at all.
At the moment Tottenham are a couple of points above Arsenal in the Premier League, and they feel they finally have a chance to outshine their bitter rivals. They managed to hold on to their best players during the transfer window, but Arsenal lost the services of both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. The Arsenal team is in a transitional stage, and if Spurs are to emulate them it has to be this season.
The demise of Arsenal as a top four club has been predicted for a few years, but they always manage to bring in the players to make them competitive and finish above Spurs. History would seem to indicate that Arsenal will again manage to overcome their difficulties, and leave Spurs in their wake yet again.
A rivalry is usually based on two teams that are in some way close, but it's only a geographical closeness with Arsenal and Spurs. Arsenal hold the upper hand in meeting between both clubs in all competitions, as well as far more league titles.
Up until April 2010 Spurs had not beaten Arsenal in a league game in almost 11 years, but at the moment they hold a slight upper hand. Arsenal have failed to win the last three league encounters between the two clubs, despite twice having two goal leads. Spurs have won two of those three games, and their hope is to extend it to four games on Sunday.
That's about the limit of their hopes though, as their chances of getting any closer to Arsenal's haul of league titles are very slim. Arsenal may not be in the greatest position themselves, and that's probably the reason why Spurs feel they can at last overtake their rivals. In the long term their hopes are doomed to failure though, as the cream of Arsenal will again rise to the top in my opinion.
That's it for today.
Here's Robert Pires doing what he did best by scoring against Spurs.
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.
Arsenal have won 13 league titles compared to Tottenham's two, and overall Arsenal have won 27 major honours against Tottenham's 17. The big difference of course is in the number of league titles, and that's the true measure of the greatness of any team in England.
The rivalry didn't really begin until 1913 when Arsenal moved from Plumstead to a new stadium in Highbury which was only five miles away from Spurs' ground. It meant the two teams became local rivals, and there is always animosity between local rivals in football.
Arsenal were a second division club at the time and Spurs were in the top flight, but that didn't last very long. World War One interrupted the world of football from 1914 until 1918, and when the war was over things took a turn in Arsenal's favour. There were plans to expand the first division from 20 teams to 22 teams, and Spurs hoped to stay up despite finishing 20th in the last season prior to the war.
Somehow or other Arsenal managed to take the last spot in the top flight despite the fact that they had only finished sixth in the second division in that last season before the war. There were rumours and allegations that Arsenal chairman Sir Henry Norris had used underhand dealings to obtain their promotion, but nothing was ever proven. Needless to say Spurs were far from happy with the outcome, but they soon won promotion back to the first division to set up the rivalry.
The first league encounter between the sides was in early 1921, and Spurs won 2-1 at home. After that the games between the sides became rather heated, and after a particularly vicious game in 1922 the FA threatened to make both teams play behind closed doors.
The rivalry might have become even more intense after that, but Spurs spent most of the time between 1928 and 1950 in the second division. During that time Arsenal rose to prominence in English football with six league titles to their name, while their local rivals still had none to their name. Spurs only spent two seasons in the top league in that time, and Arsenal won the title on both occasions.
Directly after the second World War things improved between both clubs, as Spurs allowed Arsenal to use their ground. Highbury had suffered bombing damage during the war, and Spurs proved that rivalries can be forgotten in times of need by offering their ground for use.
Spurs were promoted back to the Premier League in 1950, and they have remained there ever since with the exception of the 1977/8 season. Arsenal have of course never been relegated since that season when they mysteriously managed to gain a place in the top flight in 1919.
Arsenal have had the pleasure of winning the league title on Tottenham's ground on two occasions in 1971 and 2004. The 1971 victory also brought Arsenal their first domestic league and cup double which emulated the Spurs achievement of 1961. Up until then Spurs were the only team to manage that feat in the 20th century, but others have gone on to do it since and Arsenal have three doubles to their name now.
Arsenal fans are very fond of reminding their Spurs rivals that it has been 50 years since they last won a league title, and Arsenal have won six of them since then. The Spurs fans look for solace where they can find it, but occasional cup victories hardly compensate for league titles.
When Spurs beat Arsenal in the 1991 FA Cup semi final their fans decided to celebrate by naming April 14th as St. Hotspur Day. Arsenal fans have since celebrated what they call St. Totteringham's Day on the day when Spurs can no longer mathematically catch them in the league. Since Arsene Wenger took over at Arsenal they have celebrated St. Totteringham's Day every single one of the 15 seasons he has been their manager.
Since the advent of the Champions League Arsenal have also managed to qualify for the competition every season under Wenger, but Spurs have only once managed to do so. Arsenal made it to the final in 2006, and the failure to beat Barcelona was probably the highlight of that season for Spurs fans.
At the very end of that season Spurs had the chance to finally finish above Arsenal in the league, but they lost their game against West Ham on the final day of the season to allow Arsenal to overtake them. It was a dramatic day as Spurs looked to have their game called off due to a bout of food poisoning among their players, but the game went ahead. Apparently a dodgy lasagna was blamed for the sickness, but there have also been suggestions that the team simply bottled it.
Due to the intense rivalry between both clubs there have been very few players who have played for both of them during their careers. Jimmy Robertson is the only player to have scored for both clubs in the north London derby, but there is a chance for Emmanuel Adebayor to become the second player to do so this Sunday. He is only the 15th player ever to have played for both clubs.
Perhaps the most famous and controversial player to cross the divide was Sol Campbell who left Spurs in the summer of 2001 on a free transfer to join Arsenal. He was Tottenham's captain at the time, and the move did not go down well with their fans. He claimed to have left Tottenham to win trophies, and the two league titles and two FA Cups he won probably justify his decision.
He has actually won as many league titles with Arsenal as Spurs have ever won. He also played in and scored in the 2006 Champions League final, and at Spurs he never got the chance to play in that competition at all.
At the moment Tottenham are a couple of points above Arsenal in the Premier League, and they feel they finally have a chance to outshine their bitter rivals. They managed to hold on to their best players during the transfer window, but Arsenal lost the services of both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. The Arsenal team is in a transitional stage, and if Spurs are to emulate them it has to be this season.
The demise of Arsenal as a top four club has been predicted for a few years, but they always manage to bring in the players to make them competitive and finish above Spurs. History would seem to indicate that Arsenal will again manage to overcome their difficulties, and leave Spurs in their wake yet again.
A rivalry is usually based on two teams that are in some way close, but it's only a geographical closeness with Arsenal and Spurs. Arsenal hold the upper hand in meeting between both clubs in all competitions, as well as far more league titles.
Up until April 2010 Spurs had not beaten Arsenal in a league game in almost 11 years, but at the moment they hold a slight upper hand. Arsenal have failed to win the last three league encounters between the two clubs, despite twice having two goal leads. Spurs have won two of those three games, and their hope is to extend it to four games on Sunday.
That's about the limit of their hopes though, as their chances of getting any closer to Arsenal's haul of league titles are very slim. Arsenal may not be in the greatest position themselves, and that's probably the reason why Spurs feel they can at last overtake their rivals. In the long term their hopes are doomed to failure though, as the cream of Arsenal will again rise to the top in my opinion.
That's it for today.
Here's Robert Pires doing what he did best by scoring against Spurs.
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.
Saturday, 14 May 2011
Arsenal's Premier League Game With Aston Villa Previewed.
Arsenal play their final home game of the season against Aston Villa tomorrow afternoon, and it has become a must win game in my opinion. From a position a few weeks ago where they looked to be genuine contenders for the league title, they slipped so badly that third place is not even a certainty with two games to go. Man City are only two points behind Arsenal, but they don't play until Tuesday night, and it gives Arsenal a chance to make the gap five points.
Arsenal's home form has been pretty good this season, but it's not the home form of champions. Man Utd wrapped the league title up today, and they have won 17 of their 18 home games, with only West Brom managing to take a point off them. If Arsenal could match that home record they would be champions this season, because their away form is second to none in the league.
I've said all season that I'm not particularly impressed by the current United team, but they have managed to make Old Traffird such a fortress that teams are scared to go there. If this Arsenal team are to eventually learn one solitary lesson from this season, it's that they need to perform at their very best in every single home game. It costs more to watch Arsenal than any other team in the Premier League, and the fans who pay their hard earned money deserve to see the team play as if the game means as much to them.
Aston Villa have had a poor season by their standards, and they could still get relegated if results conspired against them, but it's highly unlikely. They have some good attacking players, but their defence has been a shambles at times this season, and Arsenal need to take advantage of that. Villa have conceded more goals away from home than any other team in the Premier League this season, and Arsenal are good enough to add quite more goals to that tally.
Even if Arsenal do manage a good win it won't send the fans away happy, and there are rumors of an early exit by quite a large number of Arsenal fans. The players should be partaking in a lap of appreciation after the game, but some Arsenal fans feel there isn't an awful lot to be appreciated. The league title was a real possibility for Arsenal this season, and if they had shown enough bottle and commitment in their last seven games they could be playing for the right to win that title tomorrow.
In team news there will be late fitness tests for both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, and hopefully they will both be able to start. Gael Clichy is fit to return after missing out through injury last week, and with Laurent Koscielny now injured, it looks like Thomas Vermaelen could be set to make his first appearance since August for Arsenal. Tomas Rosicky picked up yet another injury and he won't be available, and Abu Diaby is still not ready to return from his most recent injury either.
I think Vermaelen will play, and Clichy should play as well with both Bacary Sagna and Johan Djouou making up the rest of the back four, and Wojciech Szczesny in goal. In midfield if Cesc plays it should see Aaron Ramsey drop to the bench, and if Nasri returns he should take Andrey Arshavin's place on the wing. Alex Song, Jack Wilshere, Robin Van Persie, and Theo Walcott are all pretty sure to start in my opinion.
Arsenal have far more than enough to beat a Villa team who have lost 10 times away from home, and conceded 39 goals on their travels. I'm hoping for the team to show some passion and desire, but it's impossible to say if they will or not. As a lifelong Arsenal fan it's tough to say that I don't know how hard my team will try, but after performances like the one against Stoke last week it's a sad fact.
Today's game should see the return of a former Arsenal great to the Emirates, as Robert Pires is in the current Villa squad. He may or may not play, but I'm sure he will get a great reception from the Arsenal fans anyway. He was a player I loved to watch play, and he was a member of the invincibles as well.
Arsene Wenger spoke yesterday about not particularly needing to buy any wide players, as he has Arshavin, Nasri, Walcott, and Nicklas Bendtner in the squad. If he thinks any of them come close to the impact Pires or Freddie Ljungberg had in the team, then he must be fooling himself. To consider Bendtner a wide player is an absolute joke, and it's not fair on the player, the team, or the fans. Arsenal do not have a wide player to take opponents on, and beat them, and make things happen as a result. Their play is too predictable, and it makes things too easy for opposing defenders.
Both Pires and Ljungberg brought different things to the team, but they both knew how to score, and use their talents to their best. Until Arsenal can fill their team with players of their ilk, it's hard to see how they can progress to the next level, and start winning trophies again. For all they bring to the team I don't think there is a single Arsenal fan who would choose Walcott and Nasri over Pires and Ljungberg. Of course it has something to do with age and experience, but does that mean Arsenal have to wait another three or four years for their players to develop before they reap the rewards.
I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Arsenal over Villa tomorrow, and I would be fairly sure RVP will get his name on the scoresheet yet again. I'm really hoping Cesc plays, as he is Arsenal's best player, and he makes things happen on the pitch. Arsenal have too many players who don't have that extra spark to make things happen, and he is bar far their most important player in my opinion.
That's it for today.
Here's a look at some great Robert Pires goals for Arsenal.
See You Tomorrow.
Arsenal's home form has been pretty good this season, but it's not the home form of champions. Man Utd wrapped the league title up today, and they have won 17 of their 18 home games, with only West Brom managing to take a point off them. If Arsenal could match that home record they would be champions this season, because their away form is second to none in the league.
I've said all season that I'm not particularly impressed by the current United team, but they have managed to make Old Traffird such a fortress that teams are scared to go there. If this Arsenal team are to eventually learn one solitary lesson from this season, it's that they need to perform at their very best in every single home game. It costs more to watch Arsenal than any other team in the Premier League, and the fans who pay their hard earned money deserve to see the team play as if the game means as much to them.
Aston Villa have had a poor season by their standards, and they could still get relegated if results conspired against them, but it's highly unlikely. They have some good attacking players, but their defence has been a shambles at times this season, and Arsenal need to take advantage of that. Villa have conceded more goals away from home than any other team in the Premier League this season, and Arsenal are good enough to add quite more goals to that tally.
Even if Arsenal do manage a good win it won't send the fans away happy, and there are rumors of an early exit by quite a large number of Arsenal fans. The players should be partaking in a lap of appreciation after the game, but some Arsenal fans feel there isn't an awful lot to be appreciated. The league title was a real possibility for Arsenal this season, and if they had shown enough bottle and commitment in their last seven games they could be playing for the right to win that title tomorrow.
In team news there will be late fitness tests for both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, and hopefully they will both be able to start. Gael Clichy is fit to return after missing out through injury last week, and with Laurent Koscielny now injured, it looks like Thomas Vermaelen could be set to make his first appearance since August for Arsenal. Tomas Rosicky picked up yet another injury and he won't be available, and Abu Diaby is still not ready to return from his most recent injury either.
I think Vermaelen will play, and Clichy should play as well with both Bacary Sagna and Johan Djouou making up the rest of the back four, and Wojciech Szczesny in goal. In midfield if Cesc plays it should see Aaron Ramsey drop to the bench, and if Nasri returns he should take Andrey Arshavin's place on the wing. Alex Song, Jack Wilshere, Robin Van Persie, and Theo Walcott are all pretty sure to start in my opinion.
Arsenal have far more than enough to beat a Villa team who have lost 10 times away from home, and conceded 39 goals on their travels. I'm hoping for the team to show some passion and desire, but it's impossible to say if they will or not. As a lifelong Arsenal fan it's tough to say that I don't know how hard my team will try, but after performances like the one against Stoke last week it's a sad fact.
Today's game should see the return of a former Arsenal great to the Emirates, as Robert Pires is in the current Villa squad. He may or may not play, but I'm sure he will get a great reception from the Arsenal fans anyway. He was a player I loved to watch play, and he was a member of the invincibles as well.
Arsene Wenger spoke yesterday about not particularly needing to buy any wide players, as he has Arshavin, Nasri, Walcott, and Nicklas Bendtner in the squad. If he thinks any of them come close to the impact Pires or Freddie Ljungberg had in the team, then he must be fooling himself. To consider Bendtner a wide player is an absolute joke, and it's not fair on the player, the team, or the fans. Arsenal do not have a wide player to take opponents on, and beat them, and make things happen as a result. Their play is too predictable, and it makes things too easy for opposing defenders.
Both Pires and Ljungberg brought different things to the team, but they both knew how to score, and use their talents to their best. Until Arsenal can fill their team with players of their ilk, it's hard to see how they can progress to the next level, and start winning trophies again. For all they bring to the team I don't think there is a single Arsenal fan who would choose Walcott and Nasri over Pires and Ljungberg. Of course it has something to do with age and experience, but does that mean Arsenal have to wait another three or four years for their players to develop before they reap the rewards.
I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Arsenal over Villa tomorrow, and I would be fairly sure RVP will get his name on the scoresheet yet again. I'm really hoping Cesc plays, as he is Arsenal's best player, and he makes things happen on the pitch. Arsenal have too many players who don't have that extra spark to make things happen, and he is bar far their most important player in my opinion.
That's it for today.
Here's a look at some great Robert Pires goals for Arsenal.
See You Tomorrow.
Friday, 18 March 2011
Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 30.
It's that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcome of this week's Premier League fixtures. It hasn't gone too well for me this season, but I have at least moved back up to fourth place in my predictions league, and there's a possibility I might finish as high as second. If I do manage to finish second I'll be pretty happy, as my Fantasy Premier League team has picked up a lot of ground in recent weeks and I'm finally in the top 50 in the league I'm running in conjunction with 11Gunners. With prizes for the first three teams there's still plenty to play for although those prizes are beyond me this season. However, my son's team sits proudly in third place, and he has every chance of winning a prize and possibly the league too.
Here's a look at how my predictions league table stands.
SATURDAY
Tottenham v West Ham
Tottenham have had another very good season so far, and the fact they went out of the domestic cups so early has helped them concentrate on what's really important. They will be delighted to have gone further than Arsenal in the Champions League, but Real Madrid will be a very tough opponent for them in the quarter finals. They have 10 league games left, and if they are to qualify for next season's competition they will have to win most of them. I can't see them doing that, and I think this season will have been a one off for them in Europe's top competition. However, they will still be big favourites to win at home to West Ham who have only managed two victories on the road this season.
West Ham have put some pretty good results together recently, but most of them have come at home. Their form on the road is still that of a team threatened with relegation, and there are so many other teams in that boat with them. Any team which wins two or three games in a row will give themselves a real lifeline, but I don't expect West Ham to manage it in this game.
The Spuds may have some injury problems, but I still expect their home form to carry them through and keep up the pressure on the teams above them.
Prediction: 2-1
Aston Villa v Wolves
Aston Villa may have turned thing around recently, but they are still only two points above the relegation zone. It looks like it will take more than 40 points to stay in the Premier League this season, as things are far more open than they have been in a long time. Villa have had a few in house problems recently, and they need to put them behind them and take all three points in this game, or there could be a real crisis for them.
Wolves have had some great results at times this season, and they are capable of beating any team in the Premier League at home. Their away form is awful though, as they have lost 11 of their 14 away games and won only one. The fact this is a local derby might make things a little easier for them to get a result, as their desire and commitment are beyond doubt. If they could just manage a few clean sheets to go with their good performances they might just manage to stay up.
I think Villa have enough good attacking players to just about edge a very tight relegation battle.
Prediction: 2-1
Blackburn v Blackpool
Blackburn have slipped down the table recently, and they are only one point above the drop zone. Despite that their home form is pretty good, and they are very sound defensively at home too. If they are relegated the decision by the new owners to sack Big Fat Sam will prove to have been very expensive, and I would say they are regretting it already. I thought they should have waited until the end of the season, and then went about it in a proper fashion with a new manager having time to do things as he wanted.
Blackpool will welcome Charlie Adams back from suspension, but it looks like their slide towards relegation is gaining too much momentum for them to stop. They are behind Blackburn on goal difference only, but they are conceding an awful lot of goals and that's not a good sign. There away form was very good early in the season, but teams have figured them out, and if they can't shore things up at the back I think they will be relegated.
I think Blackburn's good home form will see them get all three points in this game, and ease their relegation worries for another week or two at least.
Prediction: 4-2
Man Utd v Bolton
"Manure" are looking to emulate the famous treble winning team of 1999, but in my opinion their current team isn't good enough to do that. They have drawn Man City in the FA Cup semi final, and Chelsea in the Champions League quarter finals and they have a few tough league games left as well. They will see a home game against Bolton as an ideal chance to keep the pressure on the teams below them in the league before the two week international break. Their injuries are building up at the moment, and if they get a few more their whole season could be in jeopardy.
Bolton are seventh in the league, and through to a FA Cup semi final against Stoke RFC. They have already over achieved this season, but they still have sixth place in their sights. To do so they will need to improve their away form in the last few games of the season, but doing so at Old Trafford will be very difficult for them. They might see "Manure's" injury problems as an opportunity, and the five game touchline ban for their manager might help them too.
Despite missing a few players I still think "Manure" will have far too much for Bolton, and they will win this game without having to do too much.
Prediction: 2-0
Stoke v Newcastle
Stoke RFC will be delighted at winning their way through to the last four of the FA Cup, and they will now want to ensure their Premier League survival for another season. They are only three points above the relegation zone, but a win in this game would give them some real breathing space. Their home form has been pretty good, and they will look to play their usual style of high pressure, long ball anti-football which has been so effective for them.
Newcastle have done quite well on their travels with five wins, and they are looking just about safe from any chance of relegation at this point. A loss in this game would see them worry just a little, but I think they have enough to stay up. They are just as fond as Stoke RFC of getting stuck in, and there could be a few meaty challenges in this game. It certainly won't be a game for the purists.
Here's a look at how my predictions league table stands.
 | 1 (1) |  |  | _Bradley08 | 1480 | +55 | 0 |  |
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| | 2 (2) |  | | essexgooner1965 | 1070 | -20 | 0 | |
| | ||||||||
| | 3 (3) |  | | preetgreet | 1060 | +15 | 0 | |
| | ||||||||
| | 4 (4) | | | aranmichael | 975 | +60 | 0 | |
| | ||||||||
 | 5 (4) | | | Nickmc1980 | 910 | -5 | 0 | |
| | ||||||||
| | 6 (6) |  | | billygooner_29 | 815 | -35 | 0 | |
| | ||||||||
 | 7 (9) | | | Imjola | 740 | +55 | 0 | |
| | ||||||||
| | 8 (7) | | | COSGOONER | 680 | -30 | 0 | |
| | ||||||||
| | 9 (8) |  | | Sinesladael | 660 | -40 | 0 | |
| | ||||||||
| | 10 (10) | | | oakhamgooner | 615 | +55 | 0 | |
SATURDAY
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Tottenham v West Ham
Tottenham have had another very good season so far, and the fact they went out of the domestic cups so early has helped them concentrate on what's really important. They will be delighted to have gone further than Arsenal in the Champions League, but Real Madrid will be a very tough opponent for them in the quarter finals. They have 10 league games left, and if they are to qualify for next season's competition they will have to win most of them. I can't see them doing that, and I think this season will have been a one off for them in Europe's top competition. However, they will still be big favourites to win at home to West Ham who have only managed two victories on the road this season.
West Ham have put some pretty good results together recently, but most of them have come at home. Their form on the road is still that of a team threatened with relegation, and there are so many other teams in that boat with them. Any team which wins two or three games in a row will give themselves a real lifeline, but I don't expect West Ham to manage it in this game.
The Spuds may have some injury problems, but I still expect their home form to carry them through and keep up the pressure on the teams above them.
Prediction: 2-1
 |
Aston Villa may have turned thing around recently, but they are still only two points above the relegation zone. It looks like it will take more than 40 points to stay in the Premier League this season, as things are far more open than they have been in a long time. Villa have had a few in house problems recently, and they need to put them behind them and take all three points in this game, or there could be a real crisis for them.
Wolves have had some great results at times this season, and they are capable of beating any team in the Premier League at home. Their away form is awful though, as they have lost 11 of their 14 away games and won only one. The fact this is a local derby might make things a little easier for them to get a result, as their desire and commitment are beyond doubt. If they could just manage a few clean sheets to go with their good performances they might just manage to stay up.
I think Villa have enough good attacking players to just about edge a very tight relegation battle.
Prediction: 2-1
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Blackburn have slipped down the table recently, and they are only one point above the drop zone. Despite that their home form is pretty good, and they are very sound defensively at home too. If they are relegated the decision by the new owners to sack Big Fat Sam will prove to have been very expensive, and I would say they are regretting it already. I thought they should have waited until the end of the season, and then went about it in a proper fashion with a new manager having time to do things as he wanted.
Blackpool will welcome Charlie Adams back from suspension, but it looks like their slide towards relegation is gaining too much momentum for them to stop. They are behind Blackburn on goal difference only, but they are conceding an awful lot of goals and that's not a good sign. There away form was very good early in the season, but teams have figured them out, and if they can't shore things up at the back I think they will be relegated.
I think Blackburn's good home form will see them get all three points in this game, and ease their relegation worries for another week or two at least.
Prediction: 4-2
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"Manure" are looking to emulate the famous treble winning team of 1999, but in my opinion their current team isn't good enough to do that. They have drawn Man City in the FA Cup semi final, and Chelsea in the Champions League quarter finals and they have a few tough league games left as well. They will see a home game against Bolton as an ideal chance to keep the pressure on the teams below them in the league before the two week international break. Their injuries are building up at the moment, and if they get a few more their whole season could be in jeopardy.
Bolton are seventh in the league, and through to a FA Cup semi final against Stoke RFC. They have already over achieved this season, but they still have sixth place in their sights. To do so they will need to improve their away form in the last few games of the season, but doing so at Old Trafford will be very difficult for them. They might see "Manure's" injury problems as an opportunity, and the five game touchline ban for their manager might help them too.
Despite missing a few players I still think "Manure" will have far too much for Bolton, and they will win this game without having to do too much.
Prediction: 2-0
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Stoke RFC will be delighted at winning their way through to the last four of the FA Cup, and they will now want to ensure their Premier League survival for another season. They are only three points above the relegation zone, but a win in this game would give them some real breathing space. Their home form has been pretty good, and they will look to play their usual style of high pressure, long ball anti-football which has been so effective for them.
Newcastle have done quite well on their travels with five wins, and they are looking just about safe from any chance of relegation at this point. A loss in this game would see them worry just a little, but I think they have enough to stay up. They are just as fond as Stoke RFC of getting stuck in, and there could be a few meaty challenges in this game. It certainly won't be a game for the purists.
I think it will be a very close game, and both sides will probably end up even.
Prediction: 1-1
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West Brom are fighting very hard to avoid relegation, and they are now a point above the bottom three. Their home form has been good recently, but they score and conceded a lot of goals, and they will have to play with their backs to the wall if they are to get anything from this game.
Arsenal have gone out of three competitions in two weeks, and the football world is waiting for them to fall apart in the Premier League too. This is an absolute must win game for them, but it won't be easy with all the injuries to key players they have at the moment. They had to sign Jens Lehmann until the end of the season, as their goalkeepers are falling like flies, and their best two central defenders look likely to miss the rest of the season too. Add both Cesc Fabregas and Alex Song to that injury list and things look bad for them. However, they still have enough class in their team to beat West Brom, and they should have both Cesc and Song available for their next game.
I think Arsenal will manage to beat West Brom, but it won't be easy. The key players for them are Robin Van Persie and Samir Nasri, and those two players need to show what Arsenal means to them in this game.
Prediction: 1-2
 |
Wigan might play nice football, but they don't score enough goals and it looks likely to cost them their Premier League status. They are four points away from safety with nine games left, and this is an absolute must win game for them. Birmingham are the team they have to catch if they have any chance of staying up, and they won't get a better chance than a home game against them.
Birmingham need to come back down to earth after their Carling Cup victory, or they could be playing European football from the Championship next season. Like Wigan they have a lack of firepower and two wins in 13 away games is relegation form. If they do go down I certainly won't be sad to see the back of them, but I think they will manage to stay up.
I wouldn't be surprised if this game ended scoreless, but I think it will be a draw anyway.
Prediction: 1-1
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Everton can't seem to get a good run of form going and it means they are stuck in mid table with a team which could potentially have challenged for Europe. They have drawn far too many games, and now that they have a few injuries they will be looking to get the two wins needed to ensure Premier League survival for another season.
Fulham have drawn far too many games as well as Everton, but they are a tough side to beat. They don't win on their travels very often, but they are finally getting all their players back from injury, and they have the capability to get a result in this game.
I can't predict anything other than a draw between these two draw specialists.
Prediction: 1-1
SUNDAY
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Sunderland will see this as an ideal opportunity to beat Liverpool, and open up the race for sixth place in the league. Their home form is still pretty good, and their opponents suffered a European disappointment on Thursday night.
Liverpool have only got the league left to concentrate on, and the best they can realistically do is finish sixth.
That might just about ensure European qualification, but it's a long shot at this stage. Their goals have dried up recently, and they have lost nine games away from home already this season. Only three other teams have done worse than that on their travels, and it's a statistic they simply have to change.
I think Sunderland will win this game without the aid of a beachball this year.
Prediction: 2-1
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Chelsea still have an outside chance of retaining their league title and the Champions League is within their reach too. They need both Arsenal and "Manure" to slip if they are to win the league, but that is quite possible. They were well beaten at home by City last season, but I expect City to be very negative in this game, and play for a draw.
City went out of Europe on Thursday night and a lot of the criticism rightly went to Mario Balotelli after the game. He stupidly got himself sent off and the task was just too much for ten men no matter how hard they tried. They now need to get enough points in the Premier League to ensure Champions League qualification for next season or their season will end in disaster.
I think Chelsea will manage a win, but I still don't think they are playing well enough to win a trophy this season.
Prediction: 2-1
As always feel free to tell me where I have gone right or wrong as the case might be.
That's it for today.
See You Tomorrow.
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