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How do The Invincibles and Class of 2017 compare?

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Yesterday Arsene Wenger cam out and claimed his current crop of forwards was the best options he has had in his 2 decades at the club, surpassing the invicibles:

“Certainly numbers-wise and quality-wise together [they are the best],” Wenger said ahead of today’s clash with struggling Watford.

“We had never so many players who could perform and score goals – certainly never.

“Dennis and Thierry had the quality but we did not have a large number. We had Sylvain Wiltord and Robert Pires as well so it was not bad.”

Many have used this of further proof that Arsene Wenger is a deluded old man who has gone senile. It is further quotes to prove that he now looks at the current set up through rose tinted glasses.

Arsenal’s current forward options are: Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck, Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott, Mesut Ozil & Lucas Perez. How can these compare to Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Freddie Ljungberg, Robert Pires, Kanu and Sylvain Wiltord. The invincibles.

Well the statistics do make for interesting reading:

Invincibles v Class of 2017

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So the Invincibles scored a goal every 2.96 games. Whilst the Class of 2017 are a goal every 3.01 games. Almost nothing in it. We are talking about a 5 minute difference. But of course, it disproves Arsene Wenger’s point. The Invincibles were superior goal scorers, but only just. And probably not by as much as people think.

For me there are main differences between the two groups of players is top end quality. The Invincibles had Thierry Henry.

Henry is by far and away the most clinical player out of the 12 players and the primary reason that the Invincibles scored more than the Class of 2017.

A minor reason is Dennis Bergkamp against Mesut Ozil. Bergkamp was much more of a striker than Mesut Ozil. Scored more goals.

Henry better than Giroud, Bergkamp better than Ozil. When you combine all 12 players into a single long list, it makes equally as interesting reading.

Long List

long-list

This list further proves that Henry was superior to every other player. Our greatest goal scorer of all time. But the next two on the list are interesting. Both from the Class of 2017. This shows that whilst the Invincibles were heavily reliant on goals from Henry, the Class of 2017 has two goal scoring options.

Lucas Perez has to kind of be disregarded as he has played so few games to make a true judgement.

You then have the next 5. Pires, Bergkamp, Wiltord, Welbeck & Walcott. Very similar games to goal ratio.

So the Invincibles had the best goal scorer, but the Class of 2017 had the better options.

Player v Player

side-by-sideA last comparison is just seeing players per their position.

Again, this highlights the importance of Henry and Bergkamp. Henry is vastly superior to Giroud. Bergkamp better than Ozil. This is not exactly ground breaking news.

On the left hand side, Sanchez out scores Pires, which again is not exactly surprising. Sanchez is better than Pires.

The right hand side of the midfield might surprise you. Walcott is more dangerous than Ljungberg.

Wiltord and Welbeck are both hardworking strikers who also cover the wide positions. Wiltord had played a lot more than Welbeck, but their record is identical.

Lastly we have Perez v Kanu. Not similar in style, but they are the lost ones left. Kanu on his day was a game changer, but was extremely inconsistent. A scorer of great goals, rather than a great goal scorer.

 

I think it is wrong to compare the Invincibles to the Class of 2017. The Invincibles won league titles, and went unbeaten. Add in a lot of FA Cups. Whilst the current crop have just those 2 FA Cups to show for their efforts. But the comparison does make interesting reading, and the difference is not as much as you would think.

The difference is Bergkamp and Henry.

Keenos

Note: I know I spelt Wiltord’s name wrong in the pretty pictures

Nottingham Forest Result & Chelsea Team News

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Nottingham Forest Result

4-0 was a result that certainly flattered Arsenal.

Whilst we were deserved winners, Nottingham Forest created a few chances in the first half. Enough to worry Arsenal. Enough that Arsene Wenger should not be entirely satisfied with the victory. Another day, had one of their early chances gone in, we could have had a different story, a Sheffield Wednesday story.

But another stunner by Xhaka put us 1-0 up at half time. And the second half we controlled, dominated, wearing down Nottingham Forest. A penalty by Lucas Perez and a wonderful solo goal but the game out of sight.

I only realised it was 4-0 this morning. In the 91st minute my stream died, so I went to bed, missing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s wonderfully crafted 4th goal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2PkULBJugw

Can much be read into a victory over a side currently 13th in the Championship? Probably not.

Emiliano (or is it Damian?) Martínez did little wrong. But also didn’t have much to do. He is now 24. David Ospina will surely not be round much longer at Petr Cech’s number 2. Did Martinez show enough that he could potentially step up next season? Inconclusive.

The surprise pick at right back was Ainsley Maitland-Niles. He of the angry mum, who was banned from Arsenal’s training ground after an “assault” and caused her son to be exiled at Ipswich by Mick McCarthy. You have to think the lad has extreme talent if Arsene Wenger is willing to stick with him despite the behaviour of his mum.

Maitland-Niles is not a full back. When I have seen him play in our youths, he was a winger, but often used inside. On loan at Ipswich last season he played 1,116 minutes on the right wing, 704 minutes in the centre of the park. He is a big boy, with a good touch, and good passing range. He can also travel with the ball. At just 19, I see his future being in the middle of the park. He played well.

The game gave Gabriel 90 minutes to get his fitness back and 90 minutes in an Arsenal shirt for Rob Holding. It also allowed Kieran Gibbs to get some match time in. Giving these guys a run out is important so that they are ready to be called upon.

Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny have given Wenger something to think about for Chelsea. Both are aggressive, cover the ground and can pass well. Meanwhile, despite his goal, Oxlade-Chamberlain showed that he is not good enough for Arsenal’s level. The same errors of trying to take on one too many, perhaps Championship opponents is his level?

Chuba Akpom and Jeff Reine-Adelaide looked good in parts. One too many pirouette for my liking. Both could probably do with a loan move in January to a Premier League side to prove that they have what it takes to be part of Arsenal’s 1st team match day squad on a regular basis in 2017/18.

As for Lucas Perez. A well hit penalty followed by the type of goal which showed strength, balance and composure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAPCi3hOh0A

I think it is important not to read too much into his performance as it was just Nottingham Forest. I have seen people label him the Spanish Jamie Vardy and better than Olivier Giroud. This is a little bit too much too soon.

Vardy hit 24 league goals last season, Giroud has 82 goals in 191 games for Arsenal. Two goals against a mid-table Championship side is not enough to be compared to these two.

Saying that, it was a good outing for Perez. He looked sharp, quick and two footed. In the short term (with Giroud back) I can see him playing wide of Giroud on the right. I expect us to start again with Alexis Sanchez up top against Chelsea, but Perez, like Xhaka and Elneny, would have given something for Wenger to think about.

This time last week I was in Paris, sleeping off 24 hours of beer. Up to that point I had not missed a single game this season, home away or in Europe. I have now missed the last two games, both away victories, with Arsenal scoring 8. I am back for Chelsea. Sorry lads.

Chelsea Team News

Whilst writing the brief summary of the Nottingham Forest performance, it got me think about what side we will se against Chelsea this Saturday.

Petr Cech will start in goal. But there are plenty of positions up for grabs.

In defence, Hector Bellerin and Laurent Koscielny are shoe-ins. But will Wenger be tempted to return to Gabriel? Or has Shkodran Mustafi already shown enough that he is Koscileny’s undisputed partner in life?

Nacho Monreal has underperformed this season. Looked off the pace. Did Gibbs do enough against Nottingham Forest to force his way in? Unlikely.

The likelihood is Wenger will start with the same back 5 as he did against Hull. Meaning the above 71 words are pretty pointless. Filler. To get the word count of the article up.

The centre midfield is a more interesting debate.

Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla have looked good this season, complimenting each other behind Mesut Ozil. But Granit Xhaka is our best central midfielder. And Elneny performed solidly alongside him last night.

Does Wenger go with the tried and tested Coq/Caz partnership? Pr does he drop one for Xhaka, a risk in such a big game.

I actually think he might play the 3 of them. A central midfield with Coquelin and Xhaka deep lying with Cazorla just ahead. This will push Mesut Ozil out wide on one side with Alex Iwobi the other.

Playing Xhaka and Coquelin together will give the team a lot of solidity in the middle of the park. With Cazorla just ahead of him, we then have a tight midfield 3 that should be hard to penetrate, but still has creativity.

Mesut Ozil on the right is then giving a free role. It might damage us defensively as he will not track back as much, but it is the way you accommodate him. With the extra power in the middle of the park, his defensive frailties can be covered.

Likewise on the left, Alex Iwobi is not the best defensively. You are basically saying to Iwobi, Ozil and Sanchez (who will surely start up front): “You 3 attack, the rest will defend”. With Cazorla also given the time to get forward.

Likely line up:

Cech
Bellerin Mustafi Koscielny Monreal
Xhaka Coquelin
Ozil Cazorla Iwobi
Sanchez

Keenos

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Arsenal set for busy end to transfer window

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The transfer window will slam shut on Wednesday at 11.30pm. Less than 60 hours to go. And in that 60 hours, Arsenal still have a lot of work to do.

Shkodran Mustafi and Lucas Perez

The deals are all but done for Shkodran Mustafi and Lucas Perez. Fees agreed, contracts signed, medicals reportedly completed. All we are waiting for his the FA to reopen Tuesday morning so that we can send across the official paperwork, and the deal is then signed, sealed and completed.

I would imagine as I am writing this, both players are at London Colney and/or the stadium getting their promo photos done. Arsenal might even announce both deals today before they have been full ratified by the FA.

Mustafi has been called up for Germany’s friendly game against Finland on 31 August 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification game against Norway on 4 September 2016. Perez unsurprisingly not selected for Spain.

Both Mustafi and Perez will be able to use the international break in different ways to gain full match sharpness and be ready for the home game against Southampton on September 10th.

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Defenders Loaned Out

The exit door could be very busy at London Colney over the next 60 hours with numerous players slated to be loaned out.

Arsenal are ready to allow Mathieu Debuchy to depart the club. Most likely on a season-long loan. A reported calf injury could hamper the deal, but a club will likely take a gamble and get the French international in. His destination likely to be somewhere in Turkey, or the mid-lower reaches of Italy’s Serie A.Mathieu+Debuchy+Calum+Chambers+Manchester+a7sYRe78Nyrl

Also exiting will be Calum Chambers. Since his breakthrough 2 seasons ago, he has struggled to nail a place in the team, mainly down to lack of playing time. He needs to go somewhere in the Premier League and play a season at centreback. We will want him to go somewhere where he will be guaranteed to play every game. Hull and Middlesbrough seem like the front runners.

Letting both go would leave Arsenal with just one recognised right back whilst Carl Jenkinson recovers from his injury, but Mustafi has played at right back before for both club and country. I would also imagine a deal for Chambers would involve a recall clause.

Major Exit?

Could we see Theo Walcott or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain leave the club over the next few days?

Serge Gnabry

2,w=993,c=0.sport

 

The next out of the door could be Serge Gnabry. Top scorer for Germany at the Olympics, he was in impressive form. But is there a place for him at Arsenal?

With Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alex Iwobi & new boy Lucas Perez ahead of him, he will struggle for game time.

One thing Arsenal have to take into account is his contract. It expires at the end of this season. the club would probably prefer a loan deal for the barley-21 German star, but that would open the risk of losing him for nothing at the end of the season if we do not tie him down to a new contract.

Arsenal might be willing to cut their losses with Gnabry and sell for a cut price deal.

He will end up in Germany, whether on loan or a permanent deal.

David Ospina

I began writing this thinking we might see David Ospina make the surprise move to Barcelona to provide competition for Marc-André ter Stegen, replacing Claudio Bravo. But they have already secured Jasper Cillessen. That door is now closed, but it would not surprise me if someone came in for a late bid for the Colombian, with the offer of first team football.

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Minor Loan Deals

The likes of Yaya Sanogo, Chuba Akpom and Jeff Reine-Adelaide could well see themselves also exit the club in loan deals.

With the changes to the loan system coming into place, we can not think that we will keep Akpom and The Jeff to play against Nottingham Forest before loaning them out. A decision will have to be made on them in the coming days.

As for Sanogo, any loan deal will be an option, or we might just put him down and turn him into glue.

theo-walcott-chuba-akpom-jeff-reine-adelaide_3330107

 

Late Madness

It has been the slogan of our summer after a Twitter ITK tweeted that Arsenal were going to do a madness.

So far the predictions that we would smash our transfer record has not happened, but you feel that if all the domino’s fall into place, we could see one more final transfer on the last day of the season.

Could Arsenal take advantage of Daniel Sturridge’s unhappiness under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool? Or a move for long term linked Antoine Griezmann or Julian Draxler? Or maybe a big money move for James Rodgriguez or Isco? Or will Dimitri Payet become Arsene Wengers man?

We have the money there, we could still make a late move for someone.

Keenos

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