Homage to a legend: Thierry Henry

Evening Gooners,

Today is a sad day for Arsenal fans around the world but a day where we can look back at the best years in a career, of one of the greatest footballers of all time. What a LEGEND.

Without further ado here are the Thierry Henry top 10 goals by Goonerverse:

Honarary mention: Perhaps my favourite goal of the lot. I don't think I have actually been happier than when this goal went in. To return to the club and still have such an impact just sums up this great man.

10) While nowhere near the quality of the others this one made me as happy as any other he scored. Left us, then Barcelona, apparently past it but still manages to score his first goal against the old enemy. Classic.

9) This goal has to be in here due to the importance to the team, how he took the goal and the opposition he scored against. The way he took the goal was as exciting to me when I first saw it as it winning us the match. Great goal.

8) Any 40 yard+ strike must get props but to do it on the big occasion against what became our fiercest rivals is why he was a complete legend. Great goal, which looks even better when it is slowed down so you can appreciate it.

7) Another goal against a top club. A scintillating finish from the greatest front man the league has ever seen.

6) The first touch to free himself of the defender is the stuff legends are made of. I watch these goals and get even more depressed about our current state of affairs.

5) I remember the build up to this match… “The galacticos vs one Gunner… can he beat them”. It was one thing being underdogs but the pre match segments were truly awful and infuriating. However, the man that “choked in the big games” delivered another superb goal, in another huge game. Great run, strength, skill and finish.

4) Another HUGE goal. Great skill, control and finish. And putting that Carragher cunt on his arse was awesome. He really could make something out of nothing.

3) The true definition of an individual effort. He picked the ball way up in his own half and makes them all look like the tits they are. What an absolutely special goal.

2) Here is one to rival the best of best from Bergkamp. The control and skill are unbelievable. I could literally watch it all day and it would have undoubtedly taken top spot if it wasn’t in this fixture. This goal really is a wonder to watch and I find myself mesmerised by it each and every time. Certainly technically the best goal.

1) This is my number one goal. Not least because of the unbelievable vision and technique but the fact it was again against United. A lot of people at the time questioned whether it was intentional or not but believe me it was. The way he shapes his body as he flicks it up and the awareness to know where the goal was are all to be marvelled at. The best goal by Thierry Henry and arguably in Premier League history. Thierry we love you and miss you. The greatest number 14 that ever lived.

This is of course very subjective so please feel free to add your thoughts below. Hope you enjoyed them.

Goonerverse.

Team News: Arsenal vs Leicester - Ramsey returns but who is sacrificed?

Afternoon,

After a well earned victory against resilient opponents midweek, we find ourselves up against tough opposition in the form of newly promoted Leicester City.

In what was a crucial tie, Arsenal managed to improve on previous performances and approached something resembling the form they are known for. Although much of the post match analysis centred around the last fifteen minutes and an apparent struggle, I saw the game far more positively and saw a wealth of opportunities created as well as relationships improving in the attacking third too.

Sanchez got off the mark and this clearly lifted him and the team as well. This is vital considering the injury to Giroud but also because it is becoming more apparent that a new striker will not be signed this transfer window. A lot of people are angry about this fact and the world of the internet has exploded in the usual preposterous way with calls for Wenger to be fired. The world is becoming more and more crazy and what seemed like a minority of people is slowly feeling like it is taking over. The same fans that have been clamouring for us to sign Balotelli are probably at this time lambasting his performance following a series of misses in the first half. Fickle doesn't even begin to describe some people. I think the media perpetuates this and for that I hate them.

Anyway I digress. Point being; Sanchez is likely to feature up front in the majority of games and I personally feel that this is why Sanchez was bought in the first place. There is going to be an acclimatisation period both for Sanchez himself but also the players around him. Giroud, for all his faults of which there are many, became the focal point of our attacks. We became reliant on him at times to hold the ball up, something he does very well. *UPDATE - NOPE SANOGO IS GOING TO START UP FRONT*

The players need to change their style now to suit a very different type of forward. I do think this will actually benefit our attacking play in the long run this season but in the interim we may need to be patient. The attack could look very exciting and extremely quick when things settle down and the teething problems are resolved. The thought of an attack containing the pace of Walcott and Sanchez is truly mouth watering especially when complimented by the passing and creativity of Ozil and Cazorla.

However with all these players fast becoming available, the manager has quite the challenge on his hands to pick the best team. Already you can see there are some issues in terms of fitting in all the players we have.

For this afternoon we have Ramsey returning after his suspension midweek. This in itself is great news but will surely mean that either Wilshere or Cazorla will have to be sacrificed to facilitate him despite both these players having their best individual performances in quite some time. Also there is the question of where to play Ozil? It is obvious that his best position is the number 10 role but some of the criticism for his performances on the left have been (surprise, surprise) ridiculously over the top. He created the goal for Sanchez and was tidy in possession throughout. He is still finding match fitness which could explain the position he is being played in at the moment.

I think it will be Wilshere that gets rested/dropped today which is a shame as this could be a game where perhaps Flamini will not be needed as we are likely to keep the ball for longer periods. It would also be good for both Ramsey and Wilshere to practice adapting their game in deeper positions.

Starting lineup:

This game will be another test for a team still finding full fitness and rhythm but it is one any Arsenal fan would expect to win.

Prediction: Leicester 0 - 2 Arsenal

Come on The Arsenal.

GoonerVerse.

Confirmed Team News - Arsenal vs Besiktas Preview

Evening all,

The beginning of our crucial Champions League campaign is upon us but in truth, we could be in better shape.

After overcoming a resilient Crystal Palace with a fairly thin defence, injury to Kieran Gibbs has now left us comparable to Nicole Ritchie and a stick man's love child. With Mertesacker still absent due to lack of match fitness and Koscienly making it through a late fitness test, our options are most certainly limited in this part of the pitch.

This isn't the only area that we are affected in; Yaya Sanogo is another casualty from the weekend which, if you ask me, is a blessing in disguise. He really struggled on Saturday and whilst his potential is something Le Boss strongly believes in, we looked a far better team with Giroud leading the line.

I would personally be tempted giving Sanchez a go up front alone and bringing in Chamberlain but that is my obsession with pace and the way I think we should play. If only life was football manager. *Looks longingly into the distance.*

Anyway, digression aside, here is all the team news according to Arsenal.com:

Theo Walcott - 3 weeks
Kieran Gibbs - 3 weeks
David  Ospina - 3 weeks
Serge Gnabry - No return date

Starting today will be:




I expect this team to get a result and am touching wood (get your mind out of the gutter) that nobody, especially in defence, sustains an injury.

Come on Arsenal.

Prediction: Besiktas 0 - 2 Arsenal

Let me know your predictions below.

GoonerVerse.

Top of the league: Start as you mean to go on - well sort of

Afternoon all,

Having recovered from a day of drinking and nail biting I am finally in a position to give my thoughts on our season opener yesterday.

First and foremost a victory is a victory regardless of how it comes. We have got three points on the board which is three points better off than this time last season. In fact it finally bucks an unwelcome trend of dropping points on the opening day, so that in itself must be applauded.

The performance however wasn't great. Nor was it enjoyable to watch. Not by any stretch of the imagination. It was as pleasant as getting a cheese grater to the balls whilst listening to the noise voice of Michael Owen attempt to construct a coherent sentence. I have decided that this year my post match reports will be set out slightly differently to how I have written them in the past. Partly to cut out the guff as most people tend to watch the match but mostly to provide actual analysis as opposed to provide narrative. It will now follow a simple format and should hopefully add to the debate with any comments welcome.

Positives

Calum Chambers - Before we scored the winner in injury time I felt the only player that could really walk down the tunnel having enhanced his reputation was Chambers. In many ways that still holds true but Ramsey stole the headlines to some extent which is understandable having scored the winner. I was very impressed with him. He was composed, good on the ball, had great positional sense and was brave in the challenge. He is clearly still very much work in progress, especially when nobody seems to know what his best position is, but one thing is clear: this kid has bags of talent. He has gone from an exciting prospect at Southampton to a reliable squad player at a top club. With a Champions League debut imminent and the faith of a manager known to give young players a chance he has a great future ahead of him. It really is hard not to get excited.

Winning when not playing well - Not much in our build up play went right yesterday. Lots of misplaced passes from all members of our midfield. They just didn't click in the midfield. Despite this, Arsenal managed three points and won in a scrappy fashion not often associated with us. This is something we will have to continue all season if we are to have a chance to win the League.

Tenacity - Despite never looking like scoring we never gave up and kept on plugging away which in the end paid dividends. Ramsey atoned for a pretty abysmal display by grabbing a late winner. Some may say it was lucky but I would say he moved well and watched the line even better to be in the right place at the right time.

Negatives

Passing - One could never guess from our performance yesterday that we are a team renowned for slick passing and combinations. We controlled possession in periods through sideways passing but always struggled passing forward. All the players in our midfield struggled to find each other regularly and this caused us to be very disjointed in the attacking third. This looked like a group of individuals rather than a team and this is something that needs to be worked on immediately. In fairness, I would venture a guess as this being a bad day at the office as opposed to a general problem within the team but with a crucial Champions League qualifier on the horizon we have got to shape up and fast.

Defending that corner - Much can be said about the merits of zonal or man marking systems but the truth is whichever system is deployed, everyone has to do their job. Alexis tried to contain Hangeland but after leaving his zone it was the job of a sleeping Koscienly to prevent Hangeland from making that header. He didn't attack the ball because he didn't even know he was coming. He needed to be more aware and get to that ball. Once Hangeland got his head to it a goal was always likely, especially when there was nobody on the far post. Why that was the case is beyond me but for a team who had the best defensive record when defending set pieces, this wasn't really reassuring.

Movement in the attacking third - This seems a bit general and I suppose it is because much of our play seemed pedestrian and lethargic. Sanogo was preferred up front to Giroud for that extra fitness and movement but he seemed to not contribute much at all. The rest of the team either ran too far beyond or held their runs which resulted in lots of misplaced passes as mentioned earlier. It was as though they were not on the same wavelength as each other. This was particularly true of Alexis, whilst cannot be faulted for effort, did find himself unable to effectively communicate with his new team mates. I suspect it may take a few weeks to develop those relationships but it was certainly a hindrance yesterday.

Gibbs injury - Gibbs seemed to have pulled up with a hamstring complaint which could see him out for three weeks. If that is the case then we are even lighter, number wise, defensively. Our need for a new signing at the back has just increased exponentially.

Conclusion

We won. We got three points. We know what needs to be improved. We can only get better. Hopefully the results stay the same though.

Also remember to join the Goonerverse Fantasy League.

http://fantasy.premierleague.com/

The code is: 2125017-470489

Until next time.

GoonerVerse.

Team News: Arsenal vs Crystal Palace - Alexis, Debuchy and Chambers set to make competitive debut

Team News: Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Preview

A not so glorious afternoon, but one fit for football nonetheless. Today marks a strange one for me, the first opening fixture I haven’t gone to watch in what seems like an eternity. To compensate however, lots of beer is cooling, a BBQ is on the go and a nice big HD widescreen TV. Now all we need is a button to mute Michael Owen’s monotone, incredibly stupid drivel from proceedings and I’m all set. (I know he wont be commentating today, it's just the thought of him.)

There is nothing quite like the first day of the season for me. The excitement starts as early as Thursday for me when the team news begins to trickle in and you start getting an idea of how things will shape up. Well imagine my surprise when after team news started filtering through we had our first managerial casualty of the Premier League Season without a ball even being kicked.

Tony Pulis has left Crystal Palace for a reason that I guess he knows but it shows how ridiculous this sport can be. A club in dire situations when he took over has been allowed to leave just before the season kicks off. Not complaining from an Arsenal point of view as surely this helps us rather than hinders us but just strange nonetheless.

Onto the team news and the first piece seems promising. Laurent Koscienly is expected to be fit for the tie despite an Achilles knock sustained during the Community Shield last week. Wenger had this to say:

"Koscielny had a knock on his Achilles but he should be available for Saturday."

We also know that Walcott is a long term absentee who should hopefully be nearing a first team return. Wenger confirmed as much when he said:

"Theo is, as I always said, end of August or start of September. That is back into training of course."

Aside from that, the only other absentees are David Ospina and Serge Gnabry according to Arsenal.com.

With that in mind I expect the team to look like this today.

As you can see, three new signings in the starting XI which is very exciting but surely, all eyes will be on Sanchez. What a player he could prove to be. If you read my season preview you would know I expect him to have a really big impact this year, particularly with his goalscoring and as such I would love a nice early goal for him to get into the swing of things.

I expect a positive start and strongly believe we can win this match and start the right way for a change!

Come on The Arsenal!

Prediction: 3-0

GoonerVerse.

Arsenal Season Preview 2014/2015

It’s slightly later than planned so apologies there but without further ado; here is the Goonerverse 2014/2015 season preview.

What a contrast this summer is to the one last year. At this stage of the pre-season last year, the only arrival was that of an unheard and apparently injury prone Yaya Sanogo. The mood was only worsened by the shock 1-3 defeat to Aston Villa at the Emirates on the opening day. People were calling for heads, namely that of Arsene Wenger, with many people questioning the direction of the club.

How much the mood has changed since then. The deadline day capture of one Mesut Ozil started the ball rolling in what can only be described as a feel good factor around the club. This was continued with a very promising start to the season where we were winning at will and seemed like genuine challengers for the title. Things went by the wayside in the latter half of the season when injuries, (What injuries? At Arsenal? You’re having a laugh mate!) poor form and some heavy defeats coincided to see us go from title challengers to competing for the somewhat familiar position of fourth place. This, however, was not all.

We finally won a trophy. The 9 year monkey was well and truly beaten into submission when the delicious Aaron Ramsey scored a hugely dramatic extra time winner in the FA Cup Final. The celebrations commenced and gooners around the world were ecstatic if not somewhat relieved.

Since then the euphoria has dissipated a little but there is more than a sense of optimism among fans for the season ahead.

Unlike last season, business has been conducted in a timely fashion and as such Arsenal are in a far stronger position than they have been at the start of a league campaign for some time. Though there are still some areas of the pitch which could be further strengthened, and one would hope they will be before the transfer window slams shut, we have certainly added quality to the starting XI and to the squad in general.

The first summer arrival was the most exciting in my opinion, not only for Arsenal fans but for the Premier League as a whole. Alexis Sanchez, a world class player who has performed on the biggest stage and come off the back of a very promising World Cup signed for Arsenal for a reported fee of £32 million. This could end up being a bargain as if he fires, which I believe he will, he has the potential to do very well in a team that is built for his qualities. Whether he plays on the flanks or up front is up for debate at this moment in time but what is indisputable is the fact that he has many of the qualities we need. He is a proven goal scorer with a very healthy goals to shot ratio, a great passer and possesses both pace and dribbling ability which will make him a nightmare to play against.

Combine him with the wealth of creativity in the team, particularly that of Mesut Ozil and we have a potential leading goal scorer. Perhaps not an obvious choice, but he is my choice to take the boot this year and that’s where I will be putting my money.

Mathieu Debuchy has arrived for £10 million to replace Bacary Sagna as he did in the French National Team. From what I have seen of him he looks to have settled in nicely and whilst he may not have performed as consistently as Sagna has over the last few years he is younger and as such am hoping he is, if not an improvement, an equally competent player. Signs so far point to a positive outcome.

David Ospina comes in for a fee believed to be around £3 million and he is set to battle with Szczesny for the Number 1 shirt. This is a great signing but one has to wonder if such a talented and promising keeper is going to be happy playing second fiddle in the long term. This will certainly provide a strong sense of competition for an area of the park where that hasn’t really been the case for a while.

Finally, for now anyway, our final signing of the pre-season was the unexpected Callum Chambers capture. A player that can play in a number of positions across the back line and has been described as a future defensive midfielder by Arsene Wenger, Chambers has been acquired for his versatility. Despite being one for the future, he has increased expectations considerably following a series of promising performances in pre-season. He looked right at home in the Community shield, and a few shaky moments aside, he does seem to possess all the qualities to make it at Arsenal in the future. He is only 19 and one can’t expect too much of him too soon but as an understudy in the defence and defensive midfield area he is likely to come in very handy this year.

So as things stand this is the business we have conducted so far this summer according to the Mirror:

In: Alexis Sanchez - Barcelona - Undisclosed (In the region of £32m)

Mathieu Debuchy - Newcastle - £10m

David Ospina - Nice - £3m

Calum Chambers - Southampton - £12m rising to £16m

Out: Bacary Sagna - Manchester City - Free

Lukasz Fabianksi - Swansea - Free

Nicklas Bendtner - Released

Park Chu-Young - Released

Chuks Aneke - Released

Daniel Boateng - Released

Thomas Eisfeld - Fulham - Undisclosed

Benik Afobe - MK Dons - Loan

Thomas Vermaelen - Barcelona - £15m

Despite adding four players, there are two contentious areas among most fans and pundits. Both in central defence and defensive midfield we are seen as being short either number wise or quality wise.

I certainly understand the argument for another central defender as we are an injury and suspension away from having to play Nacho Monreal as a centre back. As much as the thought of Peter Crouch’s illegitimate love child humours me, I do not want to see him as a centre back in an Arsenal shirt ever. This is an area we can add real quality to not only provide backup to Koscienly and Mertesacker but to challenge them too.

The other position is one which I see an acquisition being very unlikely. Despite me wanting a new defensive midfielder, we are very well stocked in midfielders in general for us to buy another one without letting one go. There were rumours surrounding the future of Mikel Arteta and whilst some fans and pundits argue he is past his best, he still is a capable and skilful player. He has also just been named captain which suggests not only is he going to stay, but Wenger sees him as the first choice for that position. I am not saying he cannot be improved upon, but I guess it doesn't matter as it seems unlikely that he will be replaced. I hope that isn’t the case but I don’t think it’s the end of the world if it doesn’t happen either.

Another type of signing, and perhaps most importantly, is that of Shad Forsyth. He has a very good reputation and has a distinguished background in sports science and medicine. If he can stem the flow of our injuries this year then he could prove to be the best signing, not of just this window, but perhaps of the last five years. There is a great piece in The Guardian by Amy Lawrence of what he can bring to Arsenal.

One can only imagine what could have been had we avoided costly injuries at key times and I guess with the improvements we have made both to the squad and the medical team, it is clear why there is a sense of optimism around the club.

I strongly believe we are in a far stronger position than last season. Our squad has more quality and certainly more quantity all over the pitch (apart from at centre back) when compared to last season but I think a crucial source improvement could emanate from within the current playing squad. Players like Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are hugely gifted individuals and can benefit from an injury free season. I genuinely think both will push on greatly this season and particularly in the case of Chamberlain we are looking at a potential world beater. He really does have it all in his locker, pace, control, passing ability, strength, finishing and overall technique. If these two push on and improve, like I believe they will, competition is going to be huge this season.

So with almost all the pieces to the puzzle in place; a cup victory, addition of world class players, increased competition and a medical team fit for purpose (hopefully) I predict big things for us this year. It will be a tough start especially with a somewhat disjointed pre-season and lots of crucial fixtures early on, but if we can ride the early storm I think we will challenge for the league. We might not win it but we will certainly be up there this season but I am ever the optimist. Come on you Gunners.

League Prediction: 1^st Place

Top Scorer: Alexis Sanchez

Player of the season: Aaron Ramsey

Also remember to sign up to the fantasy league.

http://fantasy.premierleague.com/

The code is: 2125017-470489

The GoonerVerse Fantasy League

A very quick post to let you know about the GoonerVerse Fantasy League. I know it is late but felt as though it would be good fun to compete against readers and fellow gooners in a Fantasy League.

 To this end, I have set up a Fantasy League and am aiming for 100 or so gooners to join. Depending on how many people join, a prize will be decided on. So the more of you that join, the more likely it is that there will be something to win.

Also there will be shout outs weekly for those of you doing well in the competition so please let all fellow gooners know.

http://fantasy.premierleague.com/

The code is: 2125017-470489

May the best gooner win.

Community Shield Preview: Arsenal vs Man City

Morning all,

As the season draws ever closer, I find myself tugging at my testicles with increasing gusto (sorry for the graphic detail – I am just very excited).

Although today doesn’t quite mark the start of the season proper, it does hold a special place in my heart which, for me at least, signifies the end of pre-season. Today may be a glorified friendly but it is certainly an opportunity to make a marker on the season ahead. We certainly have a chance to lay rest to some of the niggling doubts about our ability to play against the so-called bigger teams. Whilst the result may not matter as such, we can use this game as an opportunity to give us a positive platform for the season.

Today is also an opportunity to get ready for the upcoming season in a meaningful way; top opposition, fairly competitive and what is essentially an opportunity to see how we may line-up next week.

 

And how might we line up? This question is somewhat trickier to answer given the sale of club captain, Thomas Vermaelen to Barcelona for a reported £15m fee. Not bad going, business wise, considering this is a player that fell out of favour majorly but this leaves us numerically very short at the heart of defence. The centre back situation is further complicated with the absence of Per Mertesacker due to his holiday and subsequent return to fitness. It is unlikely that he will be ready for the start of the season which leaves us with only Laurent Koscienly, himself working towards full fitness.

 

As you can see this is quite the area of contention and needs swift remedial work. I expect a centre back to be bought, certainly by the close of the transfer window, but ideally before the league opener next week. Who that may be? Well we can speculate as much as we want but I suppose we will have to wait and see.

 

Back to immediate matters and one would expect as close a line up to next week as fitness allows. I expect the team to look like this

 

It is an exciting opportunity to see how the new signings will fit in to existing systems and also to experiment. As you can see from above, I am half expecting Alexis to start up front by himself. This is in part due to Giroud’s fitness but also I can imagine this being the case for some of the bigger games.

The result doesn’t matter so much but gaining much needed fitness is imperative because from next week there is no margin for error. For now though, we can perhaps enjoy with much less stress than we are otherwise used to.

I am certainly looking forward to today for a number of reasons. I am excited. Very excited. Beer is cooling. Meat has been ordered. Tugging. I think I am ready.

GoonerVerse.

FA Cup Final Preview

Morning all,

And what a fine morning it is; FA Cup final morning. It seems a long time since I have felt the excitement of FA Cup final day and god damn have I missed it. There is nothing quite like it; the sunny day, the cold beer and most importantly the sense of hope.

Today is quite like any other day I can remember in the past few years. We have had some near misses in finals and some calamitous performances as well, but on each of these occasions I have gone into the final with a feeling of dread. I was fearful of failure.

To some extent that is true today. I cannot fathom the possibility of losing to a Hull team who we so comprehensively we recently beat. Yet this feeling of dread is not quite the same. I on previous occasions felt we were a team capable of being beaten by anyone due to serious flaws. Today I truly believe we *should* win. No disrespect to Hull City but if we don’t win with our team and the experience we have, it would be an utter disaster.

I therefore feel slightly strange today because for the first time in a long time I expect us to win. Don’t get me wrong I am also just as worried that we will find a way to truly fuck this up in a fashion only an Arsenal team can muster, but I am confident. I am almost expectant and that fucking scares me.

The nerves are kicking in for me so I am just as sure that feeling is amplified emphatically in the players. There is a worry that the pressure of the occasion will get to us but lest not forget, surely our players are better suited to dealing with pressure than our opponents.

In terms of team news, nothing is certain but a huge talking point is the selection of the keeper. For me it is a no-brainer; Szczesny has to take the spot. I strongly believe the player who is likely to be our number one, for what could very possibly be the long term future, needs to play in this occasion. Whether it be to get that winners medal and mentality that hopefully comes with it, or to put to bed some unwanted skeletons in his closet from the Carling Cup. It is essential for me he plays over someone who is going to play for a team, in all likelihood, a competitor.

I expect the rest of the team to pick itself:

Szczesny

Sagna              Mertesacker                 Koscienly                    Gibbs

           

Arteta             

            Ramsey

      Cazorla                                          Ozil                             Podolski         

Giroud

The Hull team will be depleted certainly without their two best forwards in Long and Jelavic but one mustn’t forget that they got this far without them as well. They are going to approach the game without the intention of taking risks but putting a lot of pressure to dissuade us from playing our natural game.

I expect us to remain solid defensively and use the movement of Ramsey and the passing of Ozil to open them up. This is a game, all going well, we should go and win. I certainly hope so as I feel the consequences, from a fan perspective, will be incomprehensible.

Come on The Arsenal!

GoonerVerse.

Team News - Arsenal vs Newcastle Preview

Evening all,

An exciting night of football awaits us with a fresh sense of promise displacing the doom and gloom of just a few weeks ago. With Everton slipping up and crumbling under pressure at the first time of asking, we find ourselves with our Champions League hopes very much in our own hands.

I wouldn’t say a win tonight confirms our Champions League place but it certainly cements our position as red hot favourites. We could find ourselves in a position where our position of 4th place is even confirmed before we play next Sunday. A win tonight would take us four points clear with two games to play. Everton host Manchester City on the Saturday; meaning a defeat for Everton would confirm our place in the top four.

It is therefore crucial that, despite the Everton slip up, we are absolutely fired up for this one tonight. No room for complacency. None what so ever. The players have had a long rest and as a result should be fresh and ready to rip apart a Newcastle team in dire form. The worry for me is we seem a team that, this season in particular, allows the opposition far more of the ball than ever before. We invite and almost welcome pressure, choosing to sit deep instead of pressing higher up the pitch. It has worked when our defence has been solid and has failed, spectacularly, when the defence has been fragile.

For that reason, as important as Ozil and Ramsey are, it is imperative that the Mertesacker and Koscienly axis are at the top of their game and provide that solid platform for Arsenal to build their game. This season has seen us start games slowly and I hope I am wrong but I expect us to do very much the same tonight. We will grow and allow Newcastle to play but pick our opportunities and use Ozil to create space for Ramsey to exploit.

Team news is generally good with our only absentees being Kieran Gibbs, Jack Wilshere, both of whom are nearing returns, and Abou Diaby and Theo Walcott. Considering these injuries I would assume that the team that played very well against Hull last weekend will be the exact same team we see tonight.

                                                                     Szczesny

Sagna                   Mertesacker                                      Koscienly                                             Monreal

                                                Arteta                                                   Ramsey

Cazorla                                                    Ozil                                                                         Podolski

                                                              Giroud

I expect this to be the team and I expect a win but this is Arsenal and we never like to make things easy.

Enjoy the game and hopefully a delightful win.

Come on you Gunners.

GoonerVerse.

Arsene staying, Sagna going?

Morning all,

Before the match preview tomorrow I thought we could delve a little deeper into two of the pressing issues at the club at present. It seems as though both Sagna’s and Wenger’s future are beginning to look clearer and I am not overly comfortable with how things are looking.

Let’s start with Sagna. His situation is one that is hard not to get angry at but easy to see from his point of view. His contract is running down into the final months and we are at an impasse. We are no closer to an agreement as Wenger confirmed:

Talks are not progressing. The ball is not in our court anymore and he has to come back to us.

It is becoming more and more clear that he has no intention of renewing his contract which is sad because he has been a brilliant servant for the club but mostly because there is a sense of frustration that we shouldn’t be in this position. He really has given his all in a red and white shirt and as such should be rewarded with a contract which reflects his position in the team. I say this not as an advocate of player power and some of their ridiculous demands but more as a fan fearful that we will be unable to replace him. Surely giving him a large contract to ensure he stays must be cheaper than replacing him with like for like quality.

I guess we don't see him train and have all the information but it strikes me as a less than ideal situation and one which, unfortunately, we have been in before. There are many contract situations which have been handled in a strange way in my opinion. I read a recent Nasri article, perhaps not the greatest example, which highlights our handling of such situations are not of the highest order.

What happened is this: it was my best season with Arsenal (15 goals). We were in October (2010) and the manager asked me whether I wanted to stay at Arsenal. ‘Yes I want to stay at Arsenal,’ I said. Then they offered me a contract. It was far from what I wanted. With my agent, we were saying: if I stay at Arsenal, I know I’m going to win less money, but it’s fine, I’m only 23. I have time to win money. If I’m good I will always win money.

 We were still in four competitions with Arsenal. We were playing really well. The manager wanted to be focused on what happened on the pitch. It’s normal. We wait, we wait, we wait.

Regardless of my hate for him, he does highlight a significant problem which could explain why these situations continually reappear. Now I know this is spun to make him look closer to human but it is a revealing insight into our transfer negotiations. It appears to highlight a lack of killer instinct in our ability to close a deal. By allowing things to get to such a late stage gives the players an opportunity to seek pastures new. We almost encourage it.

I could be completely wrong and do understand it takes the players willingness to make things happen but I can’t help but feel that we could have done more to ensure it never got to this stage.

Wenger seems more likely to stay though. Given his previous indication that he wants to stay coupled with the fact that a top four finish now looks increasingly likely, the smart money would be on him to stay.

On that note, enjoy you’re day and thank you very much Everton.

GoonerVerse.

GoonerVerse Reboot: An All Too Familiar Battle

Morning all,

To say it has been a while would be an understatement. It has been close to a year since I last blogged. A lot has changed in the world of Arsenal but at the same time, things eerily are so familiar; erratic and volatile. While the season promised much in the way of a Championship challenge, it has petered out into a familiar battle. One which, unfortunately, all of us have become accustomed to all too well these past few years.

We find ourselves in a scrap for fourth place and as ever, something that should have been simple has been contorted into a turbulent ride. What started off as a season of dread following a dry summer, the arrival of a truly world class player changed the outlook of the season. Could we dare to dream? Judging by what followed; we could dare. And dream we did.

What followed was a series of fantastic results if not always fantastic displays. This team finally demonstrated some of the qualities that we have missed so emphatically in seasons gone by. There was a new sense of determination, grit and perhaps even a winning mentality. Grinding out results became the norm and we became the pace setters for much of the season.

And then it happened. Despite being 8 points clear of Liverpool and top of the League in February, the Gooonerverse was rocked by a battering at the hands of Liverpool and things have never quite looked the same since. Our league form following that defeat was D-W-L-W-L-D-D-L which meant not only had we relinquished our position at the summit of the League. We had somehow managed to drop out of the top four entirely, if only temporarily. 9 points from a possible 27 available. Take that in for a moment.

There was an air of inevitability about our fall if truth be told. There had to be. All the “experts” had predicted it all season. It was coming. After every match we were told it has to happen. Any day now… Shit! It’s happening. The so-called pundits revelled in our misery with claims of “I told you so”.

Oh how simple must life be for these experts. They just know everything. So they return to the “lack of winning mentality” rhetoric that often gets spewed so viciously it hurts the core of my being. Mainly because it is stupid and I am offended by stupidity; especially under the guise of expertise.

Well what went wrong? Winning mentality is just one small component of the larger picture and I am afraid this picture is large and pretty ugly. There are many issues that have contributed to our drop in form but the largest component for me is of course the wealth of injuries that we have had to cope with in that part of the season. To my mind this is the single biggest factor in our drop in performances and results. It became more abundantly clear as the return to early season form coincided with the return of Ramsey. He has been immense all season.

I recently read at Arseblog that losing Ramsey would be akin to Liverpool losing Suarez. Sounds a bit bizarre but I would go one step further. Losing Ozil, Walcott and Ramsey would be like them losing Suarez, Sturridge and Gerrard. If you take those players out of the Liverpool team how do you think they would cope? Probably not quite the form that has seen them, deservedly, surge up the league table.

Now believe me, I am not looking for excuses because even without the players that were out injured our performances, and in turn results have been far below expectation. We should have done better. We could have done better. We must in future do better. There were factors including tactical ineptness and bizarre team selections which further contributed to our downturn in form but I unequivocally believe that losing the number of players that we have has, unfortunately, shattered dreams once again.

This in itself is a huge problem that should raise questions. Why are we continually unable to rehabilitate players in a timely fashion? Why are there so many strains and tears? Is this a failure in management or medical staff? Probably both.

The outlook is not overly bleak though, we have after all returned to a position where our top four credentials are in our hands. If you asked anyone before the season started if we would take a top four finish and win a trophy I would imagine they not have bitten your hand off so much as devoured you whole. My point? I guess some perspective is in order.

The season has in many ways been successful but perhaps that’s why this season hurts even more than seasons before it in many ways. It seems almost depressing to say (mainly because we have been here before) but we have a strong foundation which if built on in the right way we can create something very special. The question for me is; is Arsene Wenger the right man to do that?

Until next time.

GoonerVerse.