Tag Archives: Olivier Giroud

Arsenal: 10 Games In, 5 Points Clear

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So we are 10 games in and top, clear by 5 points, who would have thought that!

I wanted to do a write up after the 10th game as I have continually said judge us after 10 games. Well those 10 games are now done but can you judge us on those games? Can you honestly say we can mount a challenge for the league title after being top and 5 points clear after 10 games? I’m not asking you to say we will win it, but can you predict us having at least a challenge this season?

Well lets look at who we have played, as the first thing people say in response to us tablewinning the championship is look at who they have played. We have played and beaten Spurs and Liverpool at home who so far, have probably been our toughest opponents. We beat Sunderland, Fulham and Swansea and Palace all away from home and got a good draw up at West Brom. Our other games were Stoke and Norwich at home which we won and the infamous Villa game.

All in all we havent had that much of a tough start but how often do people say that to win the league you need to be beating the so called smaller teams, and that is what we have done so far.

In terms of tests we are in for a big one in the next 2 months, we have United this Sunday and will also play Chelsea and Man City along with Champions League games whilst also contending with the busy Xmas period.

I say we have put ourselves in with a great chance of being up at the top come Xmas even though the teams we have played and beaten might not convince the pundits that we can win this. Being at the top, leading the way brings confidence and a good momentum to continue playing and scoring like we are. The next 2 months will tell us a lot more about our team and squad, I know a lot of our own fans still need to be convinced and I hope we are still there or thereabouts come January 1st.

In terms of whats different around the club and around the players its hard to put your finger on the dramatic improvement we have seen. We had a good finish to last season, particularly after the game in Munich. We seemed to kick on from that and that’s where our improvement started I think. We have players who are playing much better than they were before, Ramsey, Szczesny, Giroud, Gibbs, we have made 2 important signings in Flamini and Ozil and put all that together with the fact that we didn’t lose anybody in the summer and you can start to see why we are now playing better. Our defence is settled, Gibbs and Sagna in particular are impressing me, Per and Koscielny are becoming a great partnership in the middle of the defence and Szczesny seems to have kicked on a gear. Giroud has his first year under his belt and is leading the line well. The team is confident, you get that feeling that they think they can do something with this group of players and with the style of football they are playing.

The losses against Chelsea in the COC and against Dortmund in the Champions League we disappointing. I felt we matched Chelsea and the game was even until they scored the second goal. A bad mistake by Jenkinson let them get in front and we were fighting from then on. We had good players on the pitch and were pushing forward trying to get a goal back, Chelsea are a team that can hit you on the break which is what they did. I think the Dortmund game was similar, after going a goal down we got back on level terms and had chances to go in front. We were pushing forward and left ourselves open, they broke well and punished us. Both of those games were not to far out of our reach so when pundits say about those 2 games being out first true tests and we failed both of them, I don’t agree with that view. The results could have easily been very different, hopefully we will learn from these games and not make the same mistakes again through the season.

Sunday is massive for us, for the first time in ages we are going to Old Trafford with the possibility of being able to upset them and get something from the game. I don’t think a draw is the worst result in the world, just cannot lose.

When it comes to the games against the big teams, the top 4 or 5, we need to be winning our games at home and not losing away. It starts Sunday.

I’ll be there and cannot wait for it!

Up The Arsenal!

Matt

Ramsey, Cazorla, Ozil, Injuries, Suits, Loic Remy & More

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Aaron Ramsey

I am getting fed up of speaking about the Welshman. I have been one of his biggest supporters for some time. For me, he has been brilliant for 12 months, not just this season. The main difference between this and last season is the goals. And what a goal it was against Liverpool. That is the type of finish you do when you do not need to think about what you’re doing. 10 games in, he should already have the Premier League Young Player of the Year wrapped up. Although it still would not surprise me if it go’s to Andros Townsend, despite him scoring as many league goals for Tottenham as Asmir Begovic has scored for Stoke City.

Santi Cazorla

A lesson to every young footballer here. Never stop playing. Another player, after the header hit the post, would have put his head in his hands and missed the chance for the tap on. Cazorla did not stop running and, whilst Skrtel stood still Cazorla got onto the rebound 1st for a brilliant finish. Always be moving. As soon as you stand still you miss an opportunity or end up a step behind.

Mesut Ozil

It sums up the strength of our midfield that our £42.5million signing had a poor game against one of our title contenders and yet we still dominated the middle of the park. With Cazorla, Ramsey & Rosicky performing – And Arteta regaining his form and fitness – it shows how important a squad can be. The more better players you have, the less of an effect a poor performance by one player has.

Injuries

According the Physio Room, Arsenal are top of the league. Unfortunately it is the injury table we are top of, rather than the Premier League. You have to go to the Premier League’s official site to see us top of the one. And that is what I feel is exciting. We have 9 injuries. Diaby, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Podolski, Sanogo, Walcott, Flamini, Gnabry, Wilshere and now Gibbs. We played Liverpool with 8 players who would have been in the squad. Add in Gibbs and we are in the middle of an injury crisis. It perhaps shows on the bench (Although we still had 5 Internationals with 136 combined caps and 2 England U19 players) that we are suffering, but on the pitch we are not. Top of the league with these injuries, how far can we go when even half of those players return?

Quick Free Kick

A lot of talk this morning how Liverpool fans were robbed due to the quick free kick. It is a non story. Martin Atkinson gave the free kick, and was in the process of correctly booking Bacary Sagna when the quick free kick was taken. Martin Atkinson did not restart the game, and due to his decision to book Sagna, Liverpool have to wait until the referee has booked the offending player and then restarted play. There is no argument to be had here. Liverpool were not robbed. There was no goal to be ‘disallowed’ as play had not restarted.

Suits

Suits

It is only a little thing, but how sexy was that suit? Some have said for a long time, we are The Arsenal, we should be wearing suits. Hopefully this is a return to them. I do not know who made the decision that we start wearing them, whether it be Wenger, someone at board level, or the players themselves, but it is a good step in rebuilding the view that Arsenal are the class of English football.

Arsenal Suits

Loic Remy

Football is easy in hindsight. Transfers even easily. Before he scored against Chelsea, I commented on Twitter that he could have been an addition to the squad. He would have been able to provide good back up to Olivier Giroud, whilst also being able to play out wide. Taking into account the injuries to every single one of our wide players this year, he probably would have got minutes in every single league game this season. With him currently on bail until November 21st for an alleged rape, I can understand why we did not sign him. However, if he is found not guilty, Arsenal should explore as to whether we can break his season-long loan deal with Newcastle.

Test Passed

Yesterday was supposed to be our first big test. We passed that. And as expected, pundits have now moved the goal posts. Rather then Liverpool being the first test, the criticism is now that we have yet to play Manchester United, Manchester City or Chelsea. Sounds like sour grapes from pundits who can not admit we are in the title race. And as Chelsea showed in a defeat to Newcastle, every game in the Premier League is a potential defeat.

  • Arsenal have lost at home to Aston Villa
  • Chelsea have lost away to Everton and away to Newcastle
  • Liverpool have drawn with 11 men against 10 versus Newcastle
  • Manchester City have lost away to both Aston Villa and Cardiff City
  • Manchester United have lost at home to WBA
  • Tottenham have lost at home to West Ham

Every game in the Premier League is a test, and all you can do is beat whichever team you are playing that weekend. All a victory against Liverpool has reinforced in my mind is that we are title challengers.

Keenos

10 Reasons why we will beat Liverpool and starting XI

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anfield89

1.. Like one of the most famous games in football history (Anfield 89) everyone is writing us off before a ball has even been kicked.

2.. Even if the number of clean sheets Szczesny has kept this season is low he is in great form and will have a few big moments this Saturday. But he does love the big games and will be ready

3.. Our normal back 4 are all fit, 3 of which had a break mid-week.

4.. After the most ridiculous red card I have seen for years Arteta is able play, thank god as sadly Flamini is a few weeks away from match fit, Diaby is a few years. Arteta’s 1 game ban was spent Vs Chelsea.

5.. With Liverpool set to play what they are calling the SAS up front we should be able to over run them in the middle of the pitch. One of Jack, Ramsey or Ozil will tear them a new one.

6.. Like us Liverpool have lost only 1 Prem game this season, going down at home to Southampton.

7.. Take out Gerrard and I’m really not worried about their midfield.

8.. As much as I loved Toure when he was at ours he really will get pulled apart by our attacking force

9.. Giroud – really not getting the praise he deserves so far this season, you only had to see that hopeless fool from Denmark Vs Chelsea to see just how badly someone can play that lone striker role.

10.. Wenger Knows, it really is about time we beat a top side, which sadly Liverpool are looking like they may turn into this season.

Likely Starting XI – Chesney, Sagna, Per, Kos, Gibbs, Arteta, Ramsey, Wilshere, Santi, Ozil, Giroud.

COME ON THE ARSENAL !