Tag Archives: Arsenal

3 key factors that defined the title race

5 Replies

Striker

Luis Suarez has been the difference between the top 4 this season. Whilst Liverpool pundits and fans will say ‘Suarez has been shown he made the right decision by staying’ you feel that whoever he played for this season would go on to win the league. Despite missing the first 5 games of the league campaign, he has scored 30 goals;

Suarez – 30
Aguero – 16
Giroud – 14
Eto’o – 9

In Sergio Aguero, Manchester City have a striker equal to Luis Suarez. However, he has played just 20 league games this season. Suarez, despite his ban, has still played 30. Would things have been different in Aguero had stayed fit?

As for Arsenal and Chelsea, they do not have a striker of Suarez (or Aguero’s) ability.

Olivier Giroud is not fit to lace Suarez’s boots, hence the pursuit of the Uruguayan in the summer. 14 goals this season, even if you add in contributions from Bendtner (2) and Sanogo (0), the combined goals from Arsenal strikers is less than what Suarez has scored. It is clearly a weak spot.

Chelsea is a strange one. They have a £50m striker in Torres, a 150k a week striker in Eto’o and Demba Ba, a striker who before joining Chelsea had a 1 in 2 strike rate in the Premier League. those 3 combined, this season, have scored 17 goals. Less than Suarez. Would things have been different had they kept Sturridge (20) and Lukaku (13)?

As for Daniel Sturridge, he has also been a massive difference. At 20 league goals this season, he is the leagues 2nd top scorer, and has also scored more goals than Chelsea and Arsenal’s strikers. His back up to Suarez has been a key factor. Whilst City might have the big money strikers at back up (Dzeko, Negrado, Jovetic) Sturridge has been a class above.

Luis Suarez (with a little help from Sturridge) is the main difference in this seasons title race.

Injuries

Injuries have also been a key factor in the title race. Liverpool have suffered some long term injuries (Lucas & Enrique), these have not been to key squad members. Their 5 important players (Skrtel, Gerrard, Coutinho, Sturridge & Suarez) have barely missed a game between them through injury, with Sturridge being the only significant player to miss games (9) out of the 5.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have been without Theo Walcott (22), Aaron Ramsey (14), Jack Wilshere (12) & Mesut Ozil (10).  Only Per Mertesacker, of Arsenal’s ‘important 5’ has stayed injury free.

Over at Manchester City, things have been just as bad. Vincent Kompany (20), Sergio Aguero (14) & David Silva (10) have all missed a big chunk of the season. Whilst Yaya Toure had been injury free, his injury against Liverpool has come just as the title race is hotting up. There ongoing troubles at centre back have also caused big problems.

Only Chelsea have stayed relatively injury free this season. With Eden Hazard being the only one of their top names to pick up an injury. He has only actually missed 2 games, so Chelsea do not really have injuries as an excuse for them not being top of the table.

Now the cause of the injuries is up for debate. Arsenal, for a long time, have had their season’s curtailed by injuries. Whilst Sergio Aguero, over the last 2 years, has been hampered by hamstring injuries, and even Kompany is now in his 3rd season of injury problems. Liverpool have perhaps shown the importance of buying fit players, meaning that you can carry a smaller squad.

The Arsenal squad is stronger and better than Liverpool. However, once you take out the ‘forever injured’ players (Diaby, Rosicky, Sanogo, Wilshere, Ramsey, Walcott) it becomes weakened.

Liverpool not playing Champions League football is also key, giving them 7 days between games to allow players to return from injury. A lot of the Arsenal injuries (Ramsey, Ozil) have come from over playing. With Arsenal (and City) having played 15 games more than Liverpool, this is a key factor when it comes down to injuries.

Whether it is down to games played, personnel, or Liverpool simply having a better medical team, the way they have managed their key players through fairly unscathed this season is a key factor as to why they sit top.

Captain

It has often been said recently that a captain in football does little more than call heads or tails. With teams often picking their best player (Henry, Cesc) or their longest serving player (Giggs) rather than their most influential leader as their captain, it perhaps highlights the devaluing in the role.

This season, Steven Gerrard has bucked the trend. He has shown what a well respected, motivational leader can bring to the team. Whilst his huddle at the end of the Manchester City game might have been a  tad cringe worthy, it showed leadership. He should have been made England captain when John Terry was originally stripped of the captaincy. He is a brilliant leader.

Meanwhile, over at Manchester City, they have Vincent Kompany. Not a natural captain, he shows very little leadership on the pitch. With him having a game which does produce mistakes, you feel sometimes him having to think about captaining the side as well messes his head up. He is not a natural leader.

Arsenal’s situation is even worse. Their captain does not even play. And in most people’s strongest Arsenal XI, the vice-captain would not either. Many argue that Per Mertesacker should have been handed the armband months ago. Hopefully this change happens in the summer. He, like Gerrard, is a leader of men.

Chelsea do have a Gerrard like character in John Terry. He is also a motivator, a leader, and has had a brilliant season this year, leading to many calls that he should return to the England fold.

Steven Gerrard has been a massive difference this year.

 

Liverpool have had a lot go in their way this season. Penalties (12 and counting) & not playing European football are two key factors. But the 3 main factors are of their own doing. Having 2 top strikers, staying away from injuries and Steven Gerrard are the main reasons why they are top.

Arsenal and Manchester City can point to a lot of mitigating circumstances as to why they are not top, but they are often problems of their own making (both have a lot of injury prone players, neither has a decent captain, Arsenal need to spend). Chelsea, meanwhile, only have themselves to blame. Bar a top striker, they have not suffered many problems this season. They have the players, they have not had the injuries, they have the captain. Maybe it is a case of their manager’s star is now dwindling? Is Mourinho starting to become a specialist in failure? Why did they sell Juan Mata?

In cycling, David Brailsford has a 1% theory whereas you do not improve 1 thing by 100% but 100 things by 1%. Marginal gains. In Luis Suarez, in the injuries, in Steven Gerrard, Liverpool have these marginal gains over their opponents, and it is these marginal gains which currently define the title race.

Keenos

 

Protest planned at Arsenal v WBA over ticket price rises

7 Replies

Upcoming Protest: WBA – 4th May

Next Sunday (4th May), we will be taking action outside the Directors Entrance before the West Brom game to let the custodians know our feelings on the upcoming ticket price rise. We’ll be meeting at 12:30pm by Bear Roundabout (opposite the Armoury) & ask all like minded Arsenal fans to join us in this protest which is related solely to 3% increase and against Stan Kroenke.

We are not protesting against Arsenal, because we the fans are Arsenal. We are protesting against a greedy billionaire owner who has done nothing but take advantage of the supporters. To quote a better American by the name of Thomas Jefferson – ‘the truest form patriotism is dissent’

Despite Premier League clubs receiving extra TV revenue of up to 70%, Stan Kroenke has decided to continue to hit the fans with the highest ticket prices in world football. It’s believed that Arsenal have a cash surplus of £100 million. If anything, prices should be going down – not up. Maintaining the status quo on ticket pricing would be bad enough – as it’s already too high for too many hard up Arsenal supporters. In recent years the traditional fan base has been priced out and cast aside to be replaced by the affluent. Those diehard fans which have stayed on are making a sacrifice to their finances, that is now close to breaking point.

So to increase the prices by a further 3% is an abomination and must be met with visible resistance at the stadium. Despite having billions in his account, Stan Kroenke is a man so tight fisted that many of his US workers at Walmart are on food stamps. If there is no resistance to his greed, then it vindicates any decision to increase ticket prices especially when the stadium sells out. If we don’t tell the club they are wrong to increase prices, then why shouldn’t they feel justified in making us pay more?

Succeed or fail, it’s time to take action and make a stand. Whether it’s 1000 of us or 10 of us, we go out on our shield. Whether we win or lose, we can say that we made a stand for our club whilst others sided with apathy.

Our protest is unrelated to how good or bad the team is doing. Even if we were European Champions we would take this action because Arsenal fans are being priced out by billionaires, of whose bellies are more than full.

Up the Arsenal

 

David Moyes and the implications for Arsenal

10 Replies

Sorry for the late blog today. Thought I would leave it a bit to let yesterday’s Liverpool Myths Exposed blog really hit home.

And how it has hit home. The Scousers, true to form, have basically justified everything written with their bleating. They filled up the comments section on this site, as well as ensuring that both SheWore’s and my own twitter mention’s were kept busy on the bank holiday Monday. Guess the truth hurts them.

My next sentence was originally going to be ‘anyway, back to Arsenal’. But it is impossible to ignore today’s big news, that David Moyes has been sacked.

The David Moyes saga has highlighted 3 factors that Arsenal need to take into account as, and when, Arsene Wenger leaves.

1) Do not listen to the fans – Last summer, before being appointed by Manchester United, he was top of the list for many an Arsenal fan to replace Wenger. And bring Felliani too. How many now are calling for Wenger to go as Moyes is available again? Very few, if any.

Recently, many an Arsenal fan have called for Roberto Martinez to come in, and bring Ross Barkley with him. De ja vu anyone? Whilst fans are passionate, and are the most important factor of a football club, they might not be the most knowledgeable. Let’s leave it to the board to pick Wenger’s replacement, hopefully using the 4 criteria he must fulfil, and hopefully they get it right.

2) Better the devil you know – Yes, Wenger is doing an average job at the moment. Yes, we have not won anything in 8 years. But that does not mean we should rush out and replace him. It is important that we get the right man in, and do our research when deciding who that man is.

As Manchester United have shown, if you get the wrong man in, the consequences can be disastrous. In the hope of saving his job, Moyes spanked millions on Mata, millions on Felliani, and gave Wayne Rooney a massive pay rise and contract. Only to be sacked. This ties up a lot of money for the next manager.

Add in that David Moyes is due to get £10m compensation payout, getting in the wrong man can be a costly exercise. Over the years, Chelsea have spent nearly £100m replacing managers. Whilst we might be cash rich at the moment, getting in the wrong man can be costly.

Whilst Wenger is perhaps not the best manager for Arsenal at the moment, he is the devil we know. Better to keep him and finish 4th, then replace him and finish 7th.

3) Wenger should not chose his own replacement – David Moyes was Sir Alex Ferguson’s man. He told the Manchester United fans to trust in him and give him time. It was the wrong decision. The outgoing manager should never pick his own replacement, no matter how great a job he has done.

Rumours are that Fergie deliberately picked Moyes as he knew he would fail, therefore reinforcing how great Fergie was. Whilst this is likely to be ludicrous, these types of rumours can be detrimental.

Too make matters worse, Fergie remained in the shadows as part of the Manchester United set up. Were Wenger to pick his own replacement, then move upstairs to be director of football, his shadow would cast long and hard over the replacement.

Not only should Wenger not be picking his replacement, when the time comes for him to go, he should step away from the club completely.

 

So what is my opinion on Manchester United? They got rid of Moyes due to lack of Champions League football. This means they pay out less compensation. They realised they got in the wrong man, so have sacked him swiftly ensuring the least amount of compensation paid. Why give him another year, where the highest they’d likely finish is 4th, and still have to sack him for more money?

With Luis Van Gaal available, he will surely come in next summer, scuppering Spurs plans – although they’d surely go for Moyes. With Van Gaal, Manchester United would have a very good manager with a lot of international draw. I would not be too surprised to see his first signing be Arjen Robben.

And what does this all mean for Arsenal? Other then getting to laugh at the Mancs, it highlights further just how careful we have to be when replacing Arsene Wenger.

Keenos