Tag Archives: Arsenal

Liverpool, Mohamed Elneny, Alexis Sanchez & Olivier Giroud

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Liverpool

So what last night 1 point gained or two points lost?

Certainly before the game, a draw would not have been a bad result. And having gone 1-0 and 2-1 down within the first 19 minutes, I am sure many would have been happy with a draw. However, going into the 90th minute leading, we should have seen the game out. So in the end, it was 2 points lost.

In the last 13 games between Arsenal and Liverpool, there have been 8 goals in the 90th minute or later. So it should not have been a surprise to anyone that there was late drama last night.

It was frustrating to concede so late once more. A lot of fingers have been pointed at Arsene Wenger & Mikel Arteta. Wenger for his substitutions, Arteta for his performance.

Firstly on the subs, yes, by taking off Ozil, Walcott and Campbell for Arteta, Gibbs & Oxlade-Chamberlain, we were going defensive, and it was sitting back that eventually cost us. However, had we kept the attacking players on, and drew 3-3, we would also be moaning that Wenger messed up the substitutes and should have bought on defensive reinforcements.

Yes, Campbell was putting in a shift defensively, but anyone watching the game could see he was blowing out his arse by the time he came off. The Gibbs substitution is always one I like as he can assist in attack, but is obviously a natural left back so adds defensive cover. It just did not work this time around.

As for Arteta, it is a little bit cruel to blame him. Yes, we could have bought on Chambers in the middle, or Gabriel and gone with 5 at the back, but in Arteta, you get the added bonus of his ball retention. To blame a player who was only on the pitch for 6 minutes really is having an agenda. The goal he could do nothing for. A long ball deep into the box from the left. Blame the centre backs for not clearing it, or the keeper for getting down slow. Don’t blame Arteta.

Where I would blame Wenger is the 87th minute substitution. This is a tactic he often employs. But it confuses me. Do it on the 90th minute. When we are already into injury time. That way we can waste a little bit more time.

As for the result, in the end, whilst it did leave a bitter taste in the mouth, we did not concede any ground to our title rivals (I do not count Leicester as a rival). Manchester City drew at home, we drew away. Yes, we missed a chance to go 6 points clear of City, but part of me was expecting us to concede the lead in the league to them last night.

In a mid-week set of fixtures where Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs & Everton all failed to win, one thing is for certain, there are plenty more points be dropped this season.

Finally, well played to all those who travelled last night. It was just the 2nd league game I have missed this season (the 1st being Southampton away on Boxing Day). No trains, lot’s of traffic, and getting home at around 3am. I take my hat off to you. You did not stop singing. Our away fans are definitely the best in the league. See you all at Stoke!

Mohamed Elneny

So Arsene Wenger confirmed last night that Mohamed Elneny has finally joined the club. Speaking after the 3-3 draw at Liverpool, Wenger said: “He has joined us and we will see if he can qualify for Sunday.”

Again, people have had a moan up about how long it has taken for him to join. Clearly these people have never attempted to get a work visa anywhere. I would say the couple of weeks it has taken Arsenal is fairly quick compared to if an Egyptian worker in ‘normal life’ attempted to get a work visa. They would wait months.

Transfer take time. Unfortunately in this era of instant news, social media, and hits for cash, ewe have become impatient. The blogs and news outlets continually writing articles daily about him being ‘close’ just to get the hits for their advertising revenue is the biggest evil.

Those fantastic journalists at The Metro have published 36 articles about Elneny in the last 7 days. Deals do not take a long time to complete, they just seem that way due to how much crap we have to read through.

Let the transfer progress at their natural speed. You would be an idiot to think that the club are incompetent enough that they delay transfers to damage the club. I am sure if the Elneny deal could have been done earlier, it would have been.

As for the player himself, I know nothing about him, and most of you probably also know nothing about him. I have not even watched his Welcome to Arsenal video on YouTube yet. I probably won’t either. What is for sure, it is a reinforcement nice and early in January where we need players. Will he start against Stoke City? Probably not. But I am sure we will see him come off the bench, and hopefully he can be key to our title run in.

Alexis Sanchez

More good news for Arsenal fans. Alexis Sanchez is likely to return against Stoke City. Like Elneny, it is not hugely clear if he will be fit to start, or eased in from the bench. If I was a betting man, I would go for the latter. Although this is Sanchez. Put him on the bench for the first 60 minutes and he will probably spend its entirety  warming up.

He is a class player and hopefully the enforced rest should see him 100% for the run in to the league title. His return is key as Ozil, despite still getting loads of assists in recent games, has gone off the boil a bit. Hopefully Sanchez back in the side will give Ozil that bit more space to work, and vice versa.

The odd thing is, we have not actually missed Sanchez. Since he picked up his injury against Norwich at the end of November, Arsenal’s form reads:

WWWWLWWWD

Not bad for a one man team hey!

Whilst he has not been missed, it will be brilliant to get him back as it gives us options, both in the starting 11, and coming off the bench.

A return to the starting 11 will enable us to use Theo Walcott as a striker once more, giving us the option of Olivier Giroud on the bench. Or alternatively mean that either Walcott or Joel Campbell are on the bench, alongside Oxlade-Camberlain, pretty much doubling our attacking options to bring on.

It will be good to have you back Alexis.

Olivier Giroud

Yesterday I was looking at the top scorers market. Olivier Giroud was 20/1. Another two goals last night puts him on 12 for the season, 5th in the Premier League.Giroud v top 5

When you compare him up against the what you probably class as the Premier Leagues Premier Strikers, all of whom he has scored more against this season, his stats still hold up.Giroud v top 5 other

He clearly is not the lamppost that many people would make out that he is.

Keenos

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11 days that will define Arsenal’s season

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So 20 games in, and we are top the league, say we are top the league.

However, whilst none of us would turn down being in the position we are in, there is still an air of frustration around silly dropped points over the last 8 weeks (WBA, Norwich, Southampton – although Man City have dropped similar), and a feeling that everything could come crashing down at any point.

And it is the second point that strikes fear into the heart. The fact that it could all come crashing down.

Many an Arsenal fan are scared of what has gone on in recent seasons previous.

In 2002/03 when we were 8 points clear in March, only to go on a run of 2 wins in 7 games.

Fast forward 5 years to 2007/08 when again, we sat top going into February. Then that awful game against Birmingham where Eduardo had his leg broken by Martin Taylor and Gael Clichy (with assistance from the referee) proceeded to see us concede an equaliser in the 95th minute. What proceeded was a run of 1 win in 8. Another title thrown away.

And finally 2013/14. Top of the league for much of the season, by 5 points at one point. A 5-1 defeat to Liverpool at the beginning of February saw us go on a run of 2 wins in 9.

3 titles thrown away as winter turned to spring.

The next 11 days is key to our title challenge.1234

Tonight we play Liverpool. The scene of that horrific defeat in 2014 which saw us collapse into oblivion. 4-0 down in the opening 20 minutes. The BBC described the result as making “a mockery of Arsenal’s status as Premier League leaders”. Hopefully history does not repeat itself. Liverpool are certainly not the team that they were 2 years ago, and you feel that Arsenal are certainly stronger.

Next up, another nightmare trip for Arsenal. Away to Stoke City.

A return to the scene of “get out whilst you can Joel” as Arsenal found themselves 3-0 down at half time, losing 3-2, and Arsene Wenger getting some disgraceful abuse from so called Arsenal fans at Stoke station.

Stoke City away has replaced Bolton Wanderers away as our nightmare tie. Since their promotion to the Premier League in 2008, Arsenal have played Stoke 8 times at The Britannia (including 1 FA Cup tie), winning just once. 5 defeats, 2 draws complete the set of results. It is certainly Arsenal field of broken dreams.

And then we follow Stoke away up with Chelsea. Just 5 wins in our last 29 games against the West London side. It is not a great record.

Get through the next 3 games without defeat, and our title challenge is well and truly on course (obviously not if we draw all 3). Come out with 0 points from the 3 games, and it will pretty much end our title race.

The next 11 days will define our season.

Keenos

Should Arsenal be targeting John Stones?

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So yesterday a question was asked to many (and others). That question I then put in the public realm on Twitter, just to see what people’s responses were. The question was a simple one.

https://twitter.com/KeenosAFC/status/686520552455041024

Three names seemed to get more mentions than any other. John Stones, Riyad Mahrez & Romelu Lukaku.

The last two, I would have no problem with the club targeting. However, John Stones, I just do not get it.

He is the current darling of the English sporting media. He can do no wrong. The next superstar youngster. Built up as a world class player. Despite having not really done much.

And that is my issue with John Stones, what has he actually done to justify people talking about a £40+million transfer fee?

21 years old, he has played 63 Premier League games, 3 times in Europe (the Europa League) and 7 times for England.

A lot of people compare him and his potential transfer to that of Rio Ferdinand when he joined Manchester United for £29.1 million. But there is a big difference.

In 2002, when Manchester United signed Ferdinand, he was 23 years old, had played over 180 times in the Premier League, over 20 England caps, and had played in a Champions League semi final. The player Manchester United signed was the real deal. A proven performer. Not yet the finished article, but close to it.

What you are getting in John Stones is the potential. He is nowhere near the player Ferdinand was 13 years ago, and whilst he has the potential to get their, it is a lot of money to pay on potential. He is completely unproven.

My other issue with him is when you ask people why they rate him, they reply “he is really good on the ball.” I might be old fashioned, but I want the best quality of my defender to be that he is a good defender. Being good on the ball means nothing if they can not defend. Give me a John Terry over a David Luiz any day of the week.

It is a frustration of mine. People ranting defenders for reasons other than defending. Joleen Lescott was rated highly because he scored a few goals. Leighton Baines because he has a great cross, takes a good corner and a good free kick.

Yes, these players might be good for your Fantasy Football team, but in the real world, they are average, as they are not great defenders. Give me Nacho Monreal above Leighton Baines. Or a few years back, Bacary Sagna over Dani Alves. A defenders job is to defend, not to be good on the ball, score goals, etc.

If they are good on the ball, or can contribute goals, then that is a bonus. It is a secondary attribute. Defending is the primary attribute.

And for me, at this moment in time, Stones is rated for his ability on the ball, not his defending.

You only have to look at Everton’s position in the table to understand their problems. Currently sitting 11th. A very low position for a side with so many ‘talented’ players (this raises another question as to whether Roberto Martinez is the most overrated manager in the league). There problem is clear, they concede too many goals. Which is confusing, as they have the (alleged) greatest young centre back in the game in John Stones. With the best right back in the league in Seamus Coleman and best left back in Leighton Baines.

Maybe all 3 are just vastly overrated?

When you look at John Stones’ price tag of £40+million it highlights the premium you pay for English players. For less than that, you could go and get the likes of Matts Hummels. An experienced, proven, better defender.

And anyway, Mertesacker & Koscielny are both better player’s.

So for John Stones, it is a no thanks from me.

Keenos

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