Boring Boro Bring Out Arsenal Boo Boys

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As the final whistle went yesterday, a few boos filtered down from the back of the block. Unhappy fans showing their displeasure over a 0-0 draw against a newly promoted side.

“At least we didn’t loose” the chap I sit next too uttered to me. “We have just gone top of the league.”
And he was right. As I left the stadium, there was no real excitement on the streets. Mainly disappointment. Despite us being top (at least until Liverpool or Man City play).

It was a horrible game.

Arsenal were sloppy, struggling to put together passes, moves continually breaking down. Middlesbrough were resolute. And in Traore on the wing had a bit of threat in attack.

It was a game Arsenal really should win, some will say it’s games like that why we will not win the league. But every team in the league, every season, will draw games against sides that they really should beat.

In the last two weeks, Spurs have drawn away against WBA & Bournemouth, scoring a single goal in the process.

Man City are 4 games without a win in all competition. Including an away draw against semi-professional British side Celtic.

Boro battled brilliantly and were resolute and organised in defence. Some credit does need to go to them. Every time an Arsenal player was on the ball, there were two opponents on them. They cut out the options.

It shows how small time they are that their fans celebrating a 0-0 draw like they had won the league. Parking the bus. Well done lads. A 7 hour round trip for a bore draw.

It was a game for Olivier Giroud. We missed him. In the last 20 minutes, with Boro getting deeper and deeper, we needed to start slinging the ball into the box. But with a bunch of midgets up top, it was simply not an option.

Sometimes when the pretty play does not work, you need the battering ram that Giroud is. His strength and power causes problems in the middle of the box. He creates space for others.

It sums up the fans that I had one bloke near me screaming for our centre backs to pump the ball into the box. Whilst others moaned that we were not keeping the ball on the floor enough.

In the grand scheme of things, it is two points dropped rather than a point gained. But no need to get the boos and banners out.

After all, we are top the league.

Keenos

How does Theo Walcott rank amongst Arsenal GREATS?

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The man of the moment. The phoenix from the flames. Lazarus himself. Theo James Walcott.

He is in a superb being of form. Much has been written about it. Many have apologised. Although Lily Allen has yet to apologise to him on behalf of the entire country. He is back to the form of 2012/13 when he scored 21 goals in 43 games. The same season Gareth Bale had his glorious season for that lot up the road, scoring 26 in 44.

Then it went down hill. 2 years of injury followed by last year where he looked done, shot. Over. RIP Theo Walcott. Sleep with the fishes.

And then we come to this season. He has already hit 7 goals in just 9 games. He has hit 5 league goals in each of the last 3 seasons. He already has 5 this season after the first 5 games. In fact, this is already his 4^th highest scoring Premier League campaign. And the clocks have not even gone back yet.

Over 2 years ago, I wrote a blog about Theo Walcott. Would people love Theo Walcott if he had red hair?

Whilst the title was in jest, the comparison between Freddie Ljungberg was clear and obvious. A nice little table I did at the time highlighted how close they are in terms of out put.

untitled

Theo Walcott is just 7 goals off the century. 100 goals for Arsenal. He has currently scored 21 goals more than Freddie Ljungberg. He is just 6 short of Paul Merson (who frustratingly fell 1 short of being able to raise his bat to the pavilion).

So just how does Theo Walcott rank amongst the best and brightest of Arsenal goal scorers?

top-scorers

Walcott is currently Arsenal’s 20^th highest all time top scorer. Scoring more than the likes of Alan Sunderland (92), Robert Pires (84), Charlie George (49), Ljungberg (72), George Armstrong (68), Liam Brady (59), Charlie Nicholas (54) and Kevin Campbell (59).

But he has played sooooo many games you all moan. Here’s another pretty table:

goals-to-games

Out of the 47 players who have scored over 50 goals for The Arsenal, Theo Walcott is 33^rd on the list when it comes to games to goals.

The might seem lowly, but it does not take penalties, has rarely played as a striker, and his 1 goal every 3.8 games is still better than other wingers such as Merson (4.3) and Ljungberg (4.6).

So where does Theo Walcott rank?

The answer is a lot better than some would think. He is certainly not one of the worst players to have played in an Arsenal shirt that some make him out to be.

If he continues current form, there is no reason why he should not break into the Top 10 Arsenal goal scorers in the next 18 months. Could he possibly make Top 5? Potentially.

Enjoy Middlesbrough. It’s my first game in nearly a month due to circumstances within my control. Will be good to have a booze up in the usual haunts with my pals.

Have a good weekend.

Keenos
Follow @KeenosAFC

Which Premier League side has the most exciting players at its disposal?

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Some people will say I have been a little obsessed with Liverpool this season. My constant pointing out that we are above them this weekend, despite according to the press them being the best side since a team of Allied prisoners of drew 4-4 with a German team in 1981.

My comments have been partly in jest, but also to point out the influence the media have on peoples opinions and the fact that brilliant Liverpool are behind Arsenal, and only a single point ahead of crisis club (according to the media) Chelsea.

Liverpool are massively overhyped, and I have no shame in continually pointing it out. Then a few days ago this was published: Premier League front-runners: Who has what it takes to finish top?

Within the pointless article created just to generate hits (which I have then increased by linking to it within this blog), was a comment about Liverpool:

Yes, you read that right, Jurgen Klopp, apparently, has the Premier League’s most exciting team at his disposal.

28 goals have been scored in Liverpool’s games this season. The league high. So on paper, with Liverpool 4^th, they must be lighting up the Premier League. But then 10 of those have been goals conceded by Liverpool. So it is not as much Liverpool playing exciting football, more that they are involved in exciting games due to an inability to defend.

This weeks 0-0 draw with Man U was the first time this season they had kept a clean sheet in the league. And 13 of the 18 goals they have scored this season have been in just 3 games. And in only 2 of the 8 games have they won by more than a single goal.

Moving on so I do not look too obsessed, the comments in the Mail about Liverpool got me thinking. Who actually does have the most exciting team in the Premier League.

Now to narrow it down, let’s look at the front 4, as essentially, that is where the magic happens:

Manchester City: Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Raheem Sterling

Arsenal: Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott, Alex Iwobi

Tottenham: Son Heung-min, Erik Lamela, Dele Alli, Christian Ericksen

Liverpool: Firmino, Coutinho, Sadio Mane, Adam Lallana

Chelsea: Diego Costa, Eden Hazard, Willian, Oscar

Everton: Romelu Lukaku, Yannick Bolasie, Kevin Mirallas, Ross Barkley

Man U: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford

Starting at the top, Manchester City’s front 4, when fit, is electric. Pace, power and precision. Expensively assembled, there is not a weak link.

In Sanchez and Ozil, Arsenal have 2 players who can rival Aguero and de Bruyne in terms of ability and influence. Theo Walcott is in the form of his life and Alex Iwobi is the most exciting youngster in the Premier League.

Tottenham’s front four is a mixture of flicks, tricks and free kicks. Son is like a poor mans Sanchez. Like Liverpool, they have been described recently as the most exciting team in the Premier League, but with 13 scored and just 4 conceded, they are a side built on defending, not attacking.

As for Liverpool, it just screams out average. Firmino is a good player, but not where near as good as Aguero and Sanchez. Coutinho is the most overrated player in the league who scores the odd wonder goal, but does very little else in terms of output. Sadio Mane is streaky, and Lallana is average.

Diego Costa is currently the Premier League top scorer. Eden Hazard is still failing to hit the heights of a few years ago. And Willian is like Coutinho, scores a few wonder goals.

Everton’s front 4 is actually interesting. In Lukaku they have someone who really should be playing at a higher level. Bolaise is exciting to watch, but doesn’t score or assist many. Good for the highlights reel and Soccer AM crowd. I have always like Mirallas, and Ross Barkley is another one who will score the odd great goal, but is inconsistent.

On paper, Man U have a group of exciting players and exciting youth. By Ibrahimovic is past it and struggling with the pace of the Premier League, the most excitement Pogba has delivered this season is in his adverts and hair cuts, Martial is a talent, and Rashford is highly rated due to his passport (imagine if Iwobi was still English?).

So who has the most exciting players at their disposal in the Premier League? For me it is Manchester City. Hot on their tails Arsenal:

Manchester City
Arsenal
Chelsea
Everton
Liverpool
Man U
Spurs

Keenos
Follow @KeenosAFC