Tag Archives: Kieran Gibbs

10 Reasons why we will beat Everton + Starting XI

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1.. Chesney is on a run of 4 clean sheets in a row, of course this isn’t just down to him but when called on he really is on point this season.

2.. Carl Jenkinson, I’m getting a bit bored with people slagging him off, I like him and not just because his family are big Arsenal fans but of course that helps. The Ball he put in for our first goal against Hull was inch perfect, he didn’t put a foot wrong all night. Yes he is no Sagna and they are big boots to fill but I urge people to look at his work rate and how much he is improving before taking the easy route of he’s not good enough.

3.. Gibbs, nice to see Wenger use rotation wisely mid week and yeah Monreal had a good game but Gibbs (another boyhood Arsenal fan) should be back today and refreshed. We are blessed right now to have good cover in both full-back positions.

4.. Arteta, To be fair he gave his best years to Everton and if it wasn’t for Fabregas doing a bunk we would never of signed him but I’m glad we did. He has grown into the defensive midfield role as well has keeping his natural urge to play sexi football. He will want to put in a performance against his former side.

5.. Everton, will not be a pushover, sitting pretty in 5th having just won at Old Trafford and with a new manager whose taking a chance with some exciting young players.

6.. Everton’s Prem record – Played 14, won 7, drawn 6, lost 1,the fewest in the Prem. But they have lost 14 of the last 17 visits to us.

7.. Giroud will be back after being rested mid-week, thank god as his replacement wasn’t upto much and clearly wasn’t even fit enough to last more than 70mins in a game we dominated.

8.. Ozil, it’s almost getting to the stage where I hope he looks quiet as he is always so deceiving, one moment it looks like he hasn’t touched the ball in ages the next he is slotting a ball in and bang, goal.

9. Theo, again I can see him starting on the bench, but I want him back and on form. Let me remind you that last season in the Prem he scored 14 goals and had 13 assists, that’s a goal or an assist every 84 mins he played and more or less all from the right side of the pitch.

10.. Wenger knows – we have a run of 4 tricky games starting with today but 6 points in our next 3 Prem games will see us sitting on top whilst we all tuck into our turkey this year.

Likely starting XI – Chesney, Jenks, BFG, Kos, Gibbs, Arteta, Ramsey, Jack, Santi, Ozil, Giroud

GC

manutd

The Myth of Steve Bould

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OK, something has really been bugging me over the weekend. Many will disagree with my opinion, many will call me clueless, and some will say I am just attention seeking. What is bugging me is the current love and credit Steve Bould is getting.

I have seen two opinions about Steve Bould at the weekend which, in my opinion, are no more than myths being used to a) Make Steve Bould look like he is the saviour of Arsenal Football Club and b) Ensure that Arsene Wenger does not get the credit for us topping the table.

The two myths that I will attempt to debunk are:

1) Steve Bould has improved the defence this season and that is why we are top

2) Steve Bould has improved Keiran Gibbs

Improving Defence

At the start of last season, our defence started well. Credit for this was given to Steve Bould. Midway through the season, the defence faltered, and Arsene Wenger was criticised for stopping Steve Bould taking defensive training as he was ‘jealous’ of the praise Bould was getting.

This was ludicrous for two reasons. Firstly why would Wenger stop someone taking training if it was working? Secondly there was no proof that either Bould was training the defence or that he stopped. It was rumours fueled by the likes of Stewart Robson and a lot of the ‘Wenger Outs’.

This season, the same rumours are resurfacing, that the defence is better and the man to get the credit is Steve Bould. This a myth.

Firstly, the defence has not got better. 1 clean sheet in 8 Premier League games is not ‘good’. Secondly, we are currently conceding at a rate of over 1 a game. Last year we conceded at less than a goal a game. So ZERO proof that the defence is improving. Let alone the reason why we are top of the league.

One of the reasons the defence has got better of the last 12 months is because of the players themselves. We finally have 2 top left backs (no Andre Santos), and in the middle, we have finally had a pairing play continuous games together. A lot of the time, a defence is built on the partnership of the middle. And in Mertesacker and Koscielny, we finally have that partnership. Yes, Bould might have assisted shaping the partnership, but it is the form and leadership of a 94 capped German international who has been solid as a rock which has developed the partnership.

As for the defence being the reason why we are top. We are currently 8th in the ‘goals of the season’ table.

For me, it just feels like people are unwilling to give Wenger the credit for us being top of the league, and are therefore trying to give the credit elsewhere.

Kieran Gibbs

I have seen some people this weekend make silly claims that Steve Bould is the man to credit with Kieran Gibbs’ fine form. Again, this is no more than a myth.

Ever since Gibbs broke through in 2011/12, his talent has never been in questions. Strong, quick and plenty of ability. His problem was staying fit. This season he has done just that, playing in every Premier League game. Now correct me if I am wrong, but Steve Bould is not a physio, he is not a fitness coach. Kieran Gibbs’ form is down to himn staying fit. Nothing more. People just seem to be quick to give credit for anything to Steve Bould.

 

Now I am not bashing Steve Bould. I do believe he is doing a top job as a coach, and you feel the refreshing of Wenger’s back room last summer has done a lot for the club. With less yes men, and more people with fresher ideas. But it seems that there is a refusal to give Arsene Wenger any credit, and the consequence of that is Steve Bould is getting credit which he quite simply does not deserve.

I have always been a believer, if you are willing to give someone praise for a job well done, you must also be comfortable giving them the criticism when it go’s wrong. This is highlighted last season with Bould, when many were happy to give him the praise for an improved defence, but were then unwilling to criticise him when it went wrong.

Steve Bould may well be a very very good coach, but he is certainly not the nexis of all things good at Arsenal.

Lets give credit where credit was due, not make up credit in attempt to show someone else in a bad light.

Keenos

10 Reasons why we will beat WBA + Starting XI

3 Replies

1.. Sagna is out, so Jenkinson will be Right Back. Which will mean some fresh legs in the defence, never a bad thing.

2.. The rest of our defenders are full fit, I’d expect Gibbs, Mertesacker and Koscieiny to start the game with Vermaelen and Monreal sitting on the bench.

3.. Flamini – Got to be the first name on the team sheet when Wenger is thinking about the centre mid 3. Organisation, professionalism, Fitness, Pace, reading of the game, tracking back, covering and sticking the boot in are all things he has and Diaby hasn’t.

4.. Ozil – Now there’s a way to open your goal account at a club and then there’s how Ozil did it. Pure class.

5.. Ramsey – This kid just keeps on growing, Jack should really learn from how he handles himself on and off the pitch.

6.. Arteta – We are in the blessed position right now that he doesn’t have to be rushed back from his injury layoff. Expect to see him on an experienced bench for us, which makes a good change.

7.. Rosicky – Fit, well as fit as he’s ever likely to be and until Santi or Podolski are back fit by far the best option we have on the left side of the attacking 3

8.. Giroud – every limp, every tackle, everytime he goes down i feel a pain in stomach, this is the only position we have no credible cover for. He is looking sharper, fitter, holding play up better, his positioning has improved and most importantly he is putting the ball in the net.

9.. WBA – Currently sitting 10th, won 2 drawn 2 lost 2, scoring 6 conceding 5. Yes they had a good day last weekend at a struggling Salford club but we should have miles too much for them.

10.. Wenger knows – Get this game out the way and the next game isn’t till the 19th October, when we should have a fully fit Arteta and fingers crossed Carzorla back and that’s when the real destruction of teams should commence.

Likely starting XI – Chesney, Jenks, Per, Kos, Gibbs, Flamini, Ramsey, Rosicky, Gnarby, Ozil, Giroud