Newcastle 0 – Arsenal 1
I am just happy we pulled this one out as this was just another frustrating game to watch (anyone else really hate Tiote?)… absolute rubbish in the first half. Hard fought: yes. Showing signs of weakness: yes. Fantastic to see Giroud flick one in: absolutely. This match was going to be difficult through and through with a visit to SJP but you never got the feeling that Arsenal wanted more than a tie. Newcastle have being playing well with a number of quality wins in the year already and they really seemed to put forth more effort in this one. I can afford to be disappointed though as this Arsenal team is different than in years past (proven by our run among the top and endless hope of silverware). Now on to the bits and pieces of this match…
First half: frustrating to watch, boring, a bit sloppy in the passing and lack of creative runs. Am I setting a high standard? You bet. This team has played extremely well at times and going out I expect that each week. All things aside though, we did lack some of our seriously creative cogs as Rambo AND Ozil were out of this one (a bit worried when I saw the lineup with no Ozil especially). Did we create the best chances in this half? Absolutely.
However, I got so tired of watching our lads get pushed off the ball I decided to pull some stats.
Jack Wilshere: 5′ 7″
Santi Cazorla: 5′ 5″
Theo Walcott: 5′ 9″
Tomas Rosicky: 5′ 10″
Mathieu Flamini: 5′ 10″
Now, I am not saying you have to be big to be good but you have to have presence on the ball and enough strength to keep others from flat out muscling you off the damn thing we you are in the middle of an attack. Aside from our back line, our big “bruiser” out there is Olivier (also known as our striker). Flamini has been a great workhorse this year and plays a man twice his size. But watching our creative cogs in this game get pushed off the ball by bigger Newcastle lads was frustrating. Jack is a fine player but I have never understood the extreme hype with him. If he isn’t a straight CAM then I am not sure a man his size will always be able to hold up on the ball when we need him to (anyone else getting tired of seeing him shoved off the ball while he is on his knees holding his hands up?). Maybe I lack the English bias with him or something but I could care less where our boys come from so long as they can flat out play and dominate the game from their position. Now, that which I proclaim of Jack could be said of Santi but it is obvious that man plays the CAM role and his dipping and darting creativity is much welcomed (and better than Jack’s play). Thus, when paired together I always get a bit nervous that our attack will break down when facing a more stout opposing midfield…
Second half: not much difference in the second half. We created the best chances and you just had the feeling that if either team was going to score it was going to come via a set piece or some other dipshit move on Scheseznsys’ part (Yes, I know I spelled his name wrong. When you make boneheaded moves like he does then he doesn’t deserve his name spelled correctly). Sure enough, thank the good Lord we won a decent set piece with Giroud doing what he does best by flicking (glancing really) one into the net. Fantastic placement by Theo and even better movement by the OG. Really happy to see him get back into scoring (so is my fantasy starting lineup). After our goal you just knew things would immediately turn conservative as if Arsene were managing that lesser team (or maybe he is just genius as usual and I have no fucking idea what I am talking about-probably true). Which brings me to my next frustration…
Prevent defense: In american football, when the team leading in the fourth doesn’t have the ball, and time is running out, coaches tend to put in prevent defense. For those of you that don’t follow, prevent defense is supposed to prevent the big play (again, supposedly) but generally allows the team with the ball to keep getting first down after first down (which is what most often happens, at least when I watch). This is extremely frustrating in college football where the clock stops after each first down. Now, I am sure there is the possibility that law of averages says this is good but damn if it doesn’t make for a nerve racking ending that usual ends with my team losing because they employed that fucking mentality.
So, when that goal slid in and Gibbs/Walcott came off and Arteta/Jenks came on (also as evidenced by our extremely deep line and 5 wide) I just knew this was our “prevent” defense. Fucking nail bitting. The more frustrating part? There were probably 2 or 3 counter attacks that would have suited Theo perfectly had he still been on. Instead, we had to go through chance after chance of Newcastle almost equalizing (I know that they didn’t but that doesn’t mean it was necessarily the right choice). Against a better team, and our most recent history these past few years, and we all know that some nitwit slides a goal in to equalize. Thankfully, that didn’t happen here and we grabbed our 3 to stay atop the league. I’m not dogging shoring up our D but playing a line that deep when teams that are good throw everything at you is just asking for a mistake to happen. It happens all the time in football and in this case I think we stole one from Newcastle (but hey, all the good teams do in the end right?).
All things aside, I complain but that is because I am not sure what to make of this “run” at the top. Remember, my memory only goes so far back as to enjoy the constant run of top 4 finishes. I am still getting used to this idea that as a supporter of Arsenal the top spot is actually where we belong. Damn if it doesn’t feel great.
Theo Walcott of Arsenal FC (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
See, the ball is HUGE compared to Theo…
West Ham 1 – Arsenal 3
For fuck’s sake talk about a tale of two halves (or have nots). All day I had been looking forward to today’s match. Here in the States, I had to be back at work as if it was another day while all you proper blokes got to enjoy your Boxing Day off. Now that didn’t stop me from running around the office with my scarf displayed proudly across my neck declaring it Boxing Day and trying to get every other poor bloke at the office to be excited but this was a going to be a good day. I had homemade chili at the house, several cold beers to choose from and don’t even get me started about this trifle the wife had made (oh yes, there is Irish cream in it!). After enjoying my bowl of chili (and that which was left in my wife’s bowl), pounding my Rogue American Ale, Jackson went down easy enough, the Wifey went out shopping and I sat down to my wonderfully recorded Boxing Day glory. My friends, it was going to be a good day…
That was, until I took in the first half of the match. What the fuck is going on with our lads? No movement, sloppy passing again and no quality on finishing. West Ham charged at our lines and while we looked threatening enough at times we were seriously missing that edge we had been leading with throughout much of the season. Scarily enough, I went into half thinking a tie at West Ham wouldn’t be all that bad…
And then the second half started and after yet another missed goal opportunity West Ham countered to put one in. Really? Seriously? Are we deciding that we enjoy collapses now? Next comes the text from my wife that there are no Christmas deals but she found an end table to “explain” (worst words a husband can read/hear). Shortly thereafter, Rambo goes off injured, my baby boy starts some sleep cries and my wife pulls out a partially mirrored end table (WTF?!). Shit, this really isn’t going well…
But then the trifle eating begins… followed by a Theo goal (who just happens to be my wife’s favorite player) and next thing you know we are back in the game and Arsenal look completely rejuvenated as Thor’s Hammer returns to the mix for the hobbled Rambo (really hope the knock isn’t much). A switch is flipped and all of a sudden it is starting to look like the very early season glory of Poldi/Giroud/Santi is back in action (hey, we’re getting the band back together!). Ozil creates more magic, Theo uses his head and Thor’s Hammer (otherwise known as Poldi’s left leg) slams one into the back of the net. Game over. The mighty hammers are done and Arsenal take three to the bank.
It really is hard to quantify the up and down emotion of that game. Just a completely shit first half followed by a glorious second half. Absolutely ridiculous game. And yet, this is exactly why I LOVE soccer. The instant change in the game. The second gear. The swing of emotion followed by my silent screams as my wife shushes me from above so I don’t wake our now sleeping baby (who sleeps below canvassed art of past Arsenal glories and photos of Emirates herself).
Am I completely happy with our performance? No. Outside of the two goals, Theo was a bit selfish and drove at the goal a few times when he should have just laid it off. Giroud couldn’t buy a damn goal again (not sure what exactly is going on there). Ozil still isn’t quite at the level he played at with Los Blancos. BUT we nabbed three points when we absolutely needed them and shook off our “losing” streak. Well done lads. Not only can I sleep soundly tonight I can spend all Friday telling everyone about how glorious my Boxing Day ended up being for this stateside Gooner.
Until next time…
Arsenal 0 – Chelsea 0
The one that got away? Not quite sure yet. We knew heading in that this one was going to be frustrating and difficult. Conditions didn’t help. The Ref, or lack there of, didn’t help either. This game had all the feelings of one from last season where we just needed one more break to take 3 points instead of 1. Normally I might be happy with taking something from Blue Balls. But this is The Great One (or whatever the hell he goes by these days) and I just can’t stand him. Hell, even though I fancy myself Real Madrid I dreaded his days there and the arrogance with which he goes about “managing” a team. Just utter crap and aside from watching Tater Tott’s season go down the drain I think this year I would find more satisfaction in watching “Jose can you see” lose a place at a top four finish. Nevertheless, WE lost this game (rather than Chelsea holding us to a point at home).
You could tell that things were going to be difficult as our style, and players, don’t suit the shite weather they were faced with. It is a bit hard difficult to watch “beautiful” football when the conditions and pitch play like a fucking kiddy pool. It didn’t help that we seemed to let our level of play be lowered to the conditions with which we were playing; no excuse though as this game could/should have been won.
Shite passing: This has got to stop. It has been running amuck the last couple games. Overplayed here. Giveaways there. Just not the type of touch we got spoiled with earlier in the year. Is it fatigue? Doubt? Are the players pressing now that there is the added pressure of trying to keep your place at the top rather than fight your way to a CL finish? Maybe there is an argument to be made that these boys have forgotten what it is like to play among the leaders. It has been some time since silverware or a league title. Hell, these lads were barely boys when Arsenal was laying claim to title after title. If there was ever a time to put together a flat out ass kicking to get things back on track then this is it (too bad it could be someone just a little bit easier than another London rival in West Ham). Either way, we have a nice run of games that should see us nabbing buckets of points; tighten it up boys.
Shite finishing: Ugh… our achilles heel up top. I like Giroud but the weight he is carrying is getting heavier and heavier as the season wears on. I like his play, I like his passing, I love his headwork on defense and yet we need more. Aside from one shot rattling the crossbar from them, we had the best opportunities in front of goal to put this away. I saw three clear chances, one great defensive effort and yet that still left me with two that he could have, and probably should have, put into the net. Would an elite striker have done so? I hate to say it, but yes. (And this is with a glorious print of the man hanging in my office as I type this) If ever there was a time to spend, and spend big again, it is now. We need a first tier, elite striker. That is all that is missing from putting our team up on top for good. Hell, look at what that does for teams like the two Mannys and Liverpuke (for fuck sake Suarez is absolutely possessed and I’ll happily take my crow now).
Shite refereeing: I hear there is some statistic that sees us always doing poorly when dipshit is on the field. I don’t want to talk about it but just acknowledge it like everyone else… not a fair reason for our loss but the simple miss on what was an absolute penalty on Theo that could have given us the game was just nuts… fucking nuts… whatever.
Well, we got through a miserable stretch. We are tied atop the leaders. AND we have a very nice schedule setting us up for some big points over the next few weeks. All things aside, I’m looking forward to Boxing day, my drink and a warm fire that should see us putting things right again.
Until then, COYG.
Oh, and Merry Christmas lads.
Arsenal 3 – Man City 6
Sloppy passing. Missing players. Fatigue. It could have been worse. Much worse. But you can’t be mad at the players for this one. A game that featured two top teams lived up to it in the first half but after fatigue crept in, followed by a lack of attacking options, it was no surprise to see our boys fall to the Sheik’s money squad. Yes, I could complain (and I will, don’t worry) but this game was destined to see us drop a point or two (yeah… three). We started out ok and looked to hold on after closing a bit of the early gap but that is all we could manage as City just held us at our own game (there is something to be said about their home record this year).
From the get go you could tell this was not going to be Arsenal’s game. The pep we normally played with was absent; the attacking mindset, lock down D, crafty passes (oh there were still a few as we do have some serious quality in the square regardless of our exhaustion). And we limp away from this one too.
Kols is out with a cut (hopefully not too serious). Sagna was back in but Gibbs was out in place of Monreal (I think this had a larger impact than most would admit). Giroud was left on attacking island as we struggled to manage any sort of rhythm or possession game. The lack of crispness to our passing just wreaked of jelly legs as the game saw us provide one bad pass after another. Just when one could hope we would start the counter we did nothing more than gift the ball back into City’s midfield attackers. I give City some credit, but Arsenal did themselves no favors with this one and I have to cry foul on Arsene’s early season “rotation”. Ozil needs a rest, Rambo could use a real breather and Giroud can’t get much more overworked. With the midfield depth we allegedly have it is a wonder that we haven’t run ourselves into the ground with the lineups we have put out there.
The lone bright spot in the game was none other than Theo. His double was pure quality (even if he didn’t quite put that one away with authority) and you have to be excited that he should be playing in his true winger role (as opposed to the constant placement of a midfielder up top). Additionally, Gnabry gave some late game pace that has me thinking a young Theo without the ego (sheesh, that rhymed… I must be reading too many children’s books). In any event, Theo’s pace, coupled with Ozil’s vision should be something to behold in the next few weeks as Theo stakes his claim to a starting role again. You just have to hope we continue to cycle through the right combination of MFs to support it all.
I know this isn’t much a re-hash of the game so much as a what can we take from it and move forward post. Maybe I was just pissed about giving up so many goals. Maybe I was frustrated to see Kols go out with a gash. Or could it be I am getting nervous about our fixture list and dwindling lead on the points chase? Yeah…
At any rate, I have to say I just want to see the following at some point: Poldi Giroud Theo – Rambo Ozil Flamini – Gibbs BFG Kols Sagna… I could easily be just as happy with swapping Poldi and Flamini with Cazorla and Arteta (which is a strong possibility with Santi) but Flammini’s tenacity has been an awesome display this season (an enforcer of sorts). Poldi coming back is really going to be nice as are really starting to miss another striking option to Giroud (although a much different style). All in all, you just have to write this one off. We lost fair and square. Didn’t deserve to win and we need to move on and take all the points we can from games we should absolutely win. This isn’t a race so much as a marathon and we still have a long way to go… COYG!
Hull 0 – Arsenal 2
Things have been damn cold here in the great NW. As I sit here in my Arsenal beanie, enjoying the match from earlier today, the temp outside reads 14* F. Yeah. A bit chilly. Love it though. We already got our first snow (a dusting really) on Monday. Another reason for moving back “home”.
Weather aside, it has been an absolute pleasure getting to watch our boys this year. Regardless of the lack of writing on my part, there hasn’t been a weekend that has gone by that I still didn’t find the time to garb up in my gear, parade my child around town in his and watch The Arsenal continue their push toward another Champion’s League qualification and tightening our hold on the title.
I suppose the long time fans can’t be too surprised. They enjoyed the bigger, glory years. The seamless football dominance and towering figures enshrined on the Emirates walls. I will admit I am jealous. But knowing so much Arsenal “defeat” (if you can call consistent Champions League qualification that) has made this year an absolute joy to take in. Cap it all off with Ozil facilitating the beautiful style of play that got me hooked on soccer, Rambo literally playing out of his mind and Giroud taking that next step in his hold up play… boy, it’s just been rich.
And depth? Well, it should be on the way with Walcott on the mend, Poldi close to game time and the Ox recuperating. Even our midfield has grown crowded with the stellar play of Rambo (quite nice having options for Wenger when it comes to cycling his players). The biggest difference for me this year has been the apparent confidence exuded by Arsenal. You could argue that the Ozil signing had a lot to do with that but I think that his arrival (and elevated type of play) really just put us over the top. This started last year for me when you saw a team stick it out, pull off an incredible run and develop the kind of understanding on the pitch that makes a manager’s job easy.
Right. The match. As much as I despise seeing Bend-over on the pitch it was quite nice seeing Giroud get a well deserved rest. I really thought Ozil and Rambo would also see themselves on the bench (not to mention hoping that TV5 would garner a start) given the amount of minutes they have played this year. I guess that whole talk of give ’em some rest, long road ahead, lots of matches to be played yadda yadda yadda was a load. OR, it could be that Arsene wanted to see us secure the win early and then run out some of our other lads.
Possession was off the charts to start. It almost looked WAY too easy. Much like you would expect a title team going up against a first year back, championship level team. BUT too many missed chances as well early on. The quick goal had me thinking Bend-over could see more than one goal in this one. But after Ozil’s strike was rebounded (gifted) to his feet and he couldn’t quite turn it in you knew that rustiness isn’t that easy to rub off. It is a bit sad that the expectation is so low that a single goal from Bend-over is considered over-achieving but it is what it is with that lad.
Toward the end of the first half you could see things start to wear off a bit in the attacking prowess. Part of this could be the result of having Monreal and Jenks out there (they just haven’t received the minutes they need to add loads to the attack). Rambo, of course, almost lashed one in at the 32nd minute (really a beautiful strike and a better save). Really great to see that kind of confidence just oozing out of Rambo; the boy deserves it after all the doubters.
It really has become something that Arsenal are putting together the kind of build up that they do in scoring goals. Reminiscent of Barca? A little bit… It becomes very apparent how much understanding there is between the players when you throw in someone who isn’t getting the regular minutes (looking at you Bend-over). Too often you see him a bit too out of position or not hustling with the sort of effort we have become accustomed to in Giroud. Hard to complain when he does find goal with that ugly noggin and ridiculous top knotty thing (is it supposed to help his arrow dynamics or something??).
Nevertheless, another piece of evidence: The oh so beautiful touches between Rambo and Ozil in the second goal just after the start of the second half. Just a fantastic one-two followed by a clean, cool Ozil finish. No coincidence that Ramsey was, yet again, involved in another Arsenal goal (perfectly weighted pass to Jenks in the first has to count too).
Later on, a bit of an odd change if you were looking to give a few some rest. Honestly, I would argue that Jack come on for Ozil or Rambo (just to give them some rest) vs. Rosicky. I can’t argue with the Walcott change; Bend-over was clearly tired and Walcott needs time to acclimate to the league speed and touch (have to like that his time also comes with Ozil and Rambo still on the pitch). I have a feeling that with some time the paring of Walcott and Ozil will also make a fairly lethal combo given his speed and Ozil’s placement. The options are enough to make this fan giddy once the team gets a few more pieces healthy. The final change of Arteta for Rambo was a welcome one, even if I had wished he gone off earlier. Either way, it’s nice to see quality come on for quality these days.
Lastly, these are the games we have either dropped or allowed our opponent to get back into the match by allowing the equalizer. But this year is playing out a bit differently (at least right now) than the last few years. We are finally seeing these types of game through to the end and pulling out the 3 points we deserve. The confidence and authority with which Arsenal are playing against these types of teams is exactly what you could expect of a title team… whoa there, it’s still early… And it’s ARRRSENAL! ARSENAL FC! WE’RE BY FAR THE GREATEST TEAM THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN…
AmericanArse 