Tag Archives: Premier League

Arsenal missing Theo Walcott

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Over the years, Theo Walcott has been much derided by Arsenal fans, England fans and the media. Brilliant one game, anonymous the next. Despite last season being our top scorer with 21 goals, and also adding 14 assists, many still question his place in the side.

It is often said you only realise what a player contributes to the team in general when he does not play. A lot of people underrated Gilberto Silva massively during his early years at the club. It was only during a 7 month lay off with a broken back during the 2004-05 season that many realised how important the invisible wall was to the teams make up.

We saw in the 1-1 draw against WBA how much we missed Theo Walcott. Back in the middle of September, I posted about how Arsenal were playing like a Brazilian side with their new 4231 formation, and how this formation was heavily reliant on having a player with pace on one side. We saw against WBA how when you take this pace away, the side becomes too narrow and does not break the line of the defenders enough.

The WBA game was probably our worst attacking performance of the season. With Wilshere and Ramsey out wide, but both drifting in, we often ended up with all 5 midfielder’s in the middle of the park. No width and more importantly, no pace.

A few instances spring to mind where we desperately missed Walcott. The first was a break away from a corner. Normally whoever brings the ball out looks first for Walcott. With his electric pace, he is key to our counter attacking. Unfortunately, without Walcott, we had no other pace options. Mesut Ozil had the ball and he had a choice between Giroud or Ramsey going forward. He played a good ball to Ramsey, but he had to check in side and by the time he did this, the WBA players were back in droves and the chance was gone. Had Walcott been on the pitch, I am sure we would have seen him rampage down the right before playing the ball into Giroud or Ramsey for a tap in.

The second scenario happened a few times. Often Theo Walcott is a cross field out ball. When play is tight down one win, he is usually in acres of space on the other, allowing us to switch the play and exploit this pace. Unfortunately, without Walcott there, that space went unexploited. Jenkinson tried to push into it, but did not get far enough forward. This meant that play often became to congested and then break down on the other side of the pitch.

Theo Walcott also creates space for others. He often gets ‘chalk on his boots’ which widens the pitch, and his dangerous play usually results in teams having to use their full back, and either a centre back or winger, to close him down. This then gives more space to either his full back, or the midfielder’s. Too often, we were easily closed down against West Brom, as they pushed us into a congested middle, we were unable to create space for ourselves. Had Theo Walcott been playing, this would not of happened.

Yes, Lukas Podolski or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could have also made a difference. Their pace on the wings would have supplied a similar threat to that of Walcott, however Walcott has shown himself in the Premier League to be the better performer of the 3 and we missed him.

With the International break now upon us, we have 2 weeks for Walcott to get fit. I am sure he will play in our next game, and we will be back to our swashbucking best.

The fact we managed to get a point out of a tough game with the amount of injuries we currently have (Sagna, Diaby, Walcott, Chamberlain, Podolski, Cazorla, Sanogo) is testament to both our squad depth and current mental strength. As players start to return, we should begin to see just how good this Arsenal side are, and if we are truly title contenders.

Keenos
 

I don’t care about Tottenham, lets care about Arsenal

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During the West Bromwich Albion game, news filtered through about the Tottenham results. Firstly it was 0-1. Then 0-2. Then finally 0-3. People were getting excited. Some were even signing songs about it. But I stood there motionless. I did not care. Because here is the thing, when Arsenal are playing, there is only 1 result I care about, and that is Arsenal’s.

I was actually getting angry during the game, as fans sang about Spurs losing, laughed at their score and were happy about the way things were. At the time, Arsenal were drawing 1-1, we did not have 3 points in the bag, yet rather the support our side, cheer them to victory, we were too concerned with the Tottenham result. And that is not right.

For me, as much as I hate Tottenham, I do not care for their results. We are not trying to catch them, we are not trying to pull away, we are ahead. We are in the title race, they are looking at top 4. Yes, if it was 10 games to go and we were close, I would care, but that is not the case. For now, I am more concerned about the results of Manchester City and Liverpool, our competitors for the league title.

So what I ask all fans, whilst Arsenal are playing, lets ignore that lot up the Road. When Arsenal are playing, lets concentrate on the boys in red and white. If Tottenham lose, that is a bonus, but the most important result is Arsenal winning. That is all we should care about.

We cheer us to victory, nothing else maters. Let’s forget about Spurs and concentrate on The Arsenal.

ps:

How does it feel to be Tottenham
How does it feel to be small
You sold Bale
We signed Mesut Ozil
Mesut Ozil, Mesut Ozil

Keenos

The Revitalisation of Bacary Sagna

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During the middle of last season, as Arsenal’s form took a huge dip, a lot of criticism was thrown Bacary Sagna’s way. His first drop of form in an Arsenal shirt coincided with the rise of a ‘local lad’ in Carl Jenkinson and there was plenty of chatter that we should be looking to dump the French International.

Sagna has been not only one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers but also one of the Premier League’s most consistent players during his time in England. Always a solid 7 or 8 out of 10.

Always keeping flashy wingers in check, he reminded the world that a full back’s job was defend as well as attack. Whilst he was never a Dani Alves of Emmanuel Eboue going forward, he was, in my opinion, the best full back in the world when it came to defending. Strong, quick, great in the air and a brilliant reader of the game. But last season, he dropped off massively.

A lot pointed to the fact that many of his ‘friends’ had left the club. That he was unhappy. That he was not giving 100%. That having seen Cesc, Song, RVP and more leave in a short amount of time, he had become disillusioned with life at the club. No friends and no future at Arsenal.

People were saying if an offer came in over the summer for him, we should take it. That in Carl Jenkinson and Hector Bellerin we had replacements. And there was good value for that argument. He looked out of form and out of shape.

However, what people seemed to forget is that it was his first dip in form. The saying form is temporary class is permanent. And that Bacary Sagna was only 30.

This was not a 35 year old full back we were talking about, this was a top, top International. What I found interesting at the time is many of the same people who bemoaned the club for letting go of experience too early were so quick to jump on the ‘Sagna Out’ bandwagon. This a 30 year old regular International who had played 350 games, of which 250 of which were for Arsenal.

What people also seemed to forget was that during the 2011/12 season Bacary Sagna broke his leg. Not once but twice. He only returned in October 2012, and did not play a full 90 minutes until November.

He got a lot of criticism for ‘not having heart’ and ‘being unfit for the shirt’ but in reality, maybe he was a tad mentally scared by 2 leg breaks in 1 season, and was struggling for fitness having returned to the squad just in time for the hectic winter period. In hindsight, maybe we as fans got on his back without fully understanding the situation.

Despite the furore around his future, at not point did Bacary Sagna shouls any desire to leave. And the 2013/14 season has definitely seen one of revitalisation. A full pre-season under his belt. No International tournaments. And his double leg break being out of sight out of mind 2 years ago, he is now back to his consistent best.

And where he has perhaps been most important is at centre back. Whilst many screamed that we should spend millions on an Ashley Williams or Mamadou Sakho, Sagna has shown he is more than capable to be 4th choice centre back. None of those mentioned would have joined Arsenal to be 4th choice, and none were good enough for our 1st 11. It is hard to name a centre back in world football who would have come to Arsenal to be 4th choice centre back, and not been a Squillaci or Silvestre. Sagna has done a job.

At right back he is also getting back to his best. Realising he does not need to bomb forward all the time, he is returning to be a top defensive player. Yes, Carl Jenkinson might be better at crossing and driving forward, but a defenders job is to defend, and Bacary Sagna is far superior.

The worry is Sagna’s contract runs out at the end of the season. His experience and ability is something that the club can not lose. Jenkinson is still raw. He can learn from Sagna. And the healthy competition between the 2 should see both continually strive to be better. Add in his importance at centre back, I would be more than happy for Arsene Wenger to break his ‘1 year for a 30 year old’ rule and offer the Frenchman a 3 year deal.

Bacary Sagna is invaluable to us.

Oh yeah, his bird is also well fit.Keenos