Tag Archives: Premier League

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

Is ‘Wenger Ball’ to blame for lack of Atmosphere?

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Arsenal’s style of play is amazing at times. It’s a joy to watch. However within that last short sentence underlies a problem for me.

I’ve had this thought for a little while now which I’ve shared to a close few, explaining the reasons and all tend to see a point. The point is that I believe that our style of play is a contributing factor to the lack of atmosphere at the Arsenal.

Many will cite the lack of terraces and that all-seater stadiums are the main catalysts for lack of noise. I tend to agree and would live to see ‘safe standing’ introduced.

It’s far harder to sing with your arse stuck to a seat. Which is why you rarely see a pop star seated and even if they are then they’re on an high stall able to project their voice.

Yet I’m in Block 5 in front of RedAction standing. As much as they do a fantastic job trying to create an atmosphere they can’t do it on their own but there still periods were no signing happens and here’s why.

If you think of how and why chants start; its usually after an event of significance. A big game at KO in itself  brings noise…for a while. A goal obviously brings noise with chants of the score, scorer and overall pride. As does a big passage of play. Other reasons is an individual piece of recognition. A shot on goal, a save, a pass, a tackle or a piece of skill.

The problem is we’re being starved of moments to sing. We’ve been a team that holds the ball for long periods and usually in a position of the attacking third. Even a break away gets people on their feet expectantly but soon we’re back to ‘ticka-tacka’ and the quick break has gone. Yet we’re still expectant of something, we’re attacking.

It’s that waiting for that ‘something’ that is our problem. We’re on the attack yet as fans we’ve learnt to be patient in our build-up on the pitch. However because we’re being patience whilst we wait for that killer through ball, chip or pass, we simply don’t sing.

Think about it.

Theo bursting down the wing beating the full back. The east and west stands are getting to their feet. We’re all encouraging Walcott on. He crosses it inside / passes it to Giroud who shoots……. It’s wide or saved. Yet we’ll sing Theo or Giroud’s  name. Maybe a couple of generic songs.

More likely situation.

Theo bursting down the wing beating the full back. The east and west stands are getting to their feet. We’re all encouraging Walcott on. He cuts back inside. Passes it to Ramsey, he shifts the ball squaring it Ozil. Ozil switches feet and brings Cazorla in. Santi then passes……..

You get the point. We’re waiting! Maybe by now people have even regained their seats and sat down once again. Being direct get us singing.

If you look back at when Wenger took over (’96) and brought in his style of play it’s not long after the time that Highbury became an all-seater stadium (’93). By many away fans Highbury became known as the “Highbury Library” or just “The Library”.

This isn’t aimed at knocking Wenger or his style of play but if you look at United under Ferguson his team were very direct. Yes they passed the ball but they also took many shots. As I mentioned earlier a shot/chance would usually be met with a chant.

Whereas at times with us a lack of a shot has even had a negative effect with people almost pulling their hair out demanding a shot.

I don’t know what the answer is but we need to change our mentality and stop being entertained.

Our play is not the only reason but I think it certainly is a factor.

Next time you’re over at The Arsenal think about it. ‘Why am I (or others) not singing?’ You’ll often find it’s because you’re waiting for the players to do something.

Michael

 

The Arsenal and Me – Chad’s Story

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First, I am a middle-aged American, so I am always the little brother, I suppose. Never to be a Proper Gooner, at least by the old meaning of the term, never to stand on the North Bank. And despite being an avid sports fan and playing the game, that’s fine. As a result, this isn’t a story about my first trip to Highbury, or a lofty tale about away boys on the terraces in the 80s, or some distant memory of watching Pat Jennings or Charlie George from my Dad’s lap. This is, however, a story with the same net result, be it plastic or proper. It’s a story of love and passion for The Arsenal. And in the end, it’s a story about my sons watching Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott from my lap every weekend morning.

For me it started when I needed a pair of workout shorts sometime in the early 90s and found a pair of Arsenal shorts I thought were cool. I just liked the name, that’s it, pretty boring and silly, I’m aware. When you come from a place where it’s Braves and Falcons and Hawks, Arsenal sounds awesome. From there it was a random CL match aired on ESPN 2 long before the Premier League was on American TV. I’d look for Arsenal when I randomly saw the table because it was the only team I knew, or I’d remember the shorts when I heard the names of Thierry Henry or Dennis Bergkamp, who were big enough stars to cross the Atlantic. Then I grew up, got a job, and got married with ‘soccer’ always on the back burner to Super Bowls and World Series.

Then I had my first son and it started to change. Then I had to get up with said son on the weekends and was looking for something interesting on TV in the mornings. I decided English Premier League on Fox Soccer was better than any kid’s show. Then I remembered those stupid old pair of shorts and tried watching only Arsenal matches. For every sport I enjoy, I watch one team and one team only. I guess I just enjoy knowing a lot about one team and seeing their pursuit through a season.

Then I saw the since maligned Robin van Persie tally a hat trick against Blackburn—just two short seasons ago—with my son on my lap. That was that. That match was the turning point. I know a 7-1 drubbing of a side destined for relegation isn’t exactly winning the league at Old Trafford, but that was the tipping point for me. I remember my son, who was just learning to talk, singing ‘We Love You Arsenal’ at 8 in the morning. I remember him figuring out the cannon meant Arsenal on that cold winter morning. It will always be etched in my memory as one of the first sport-related things I shared with my son. Not the MLB Braves or NFL Falcons, who I have been watching since I was his age, a club thousands of miles away. The Arsenal.

1From there it was learning all I could about an incredibly rich history, connecting with Gooners—or just Arsenal fans if you prefer—from all over the world on Twitter, consuming blog after blog after blog every single day. Waking up early to watch matches, streaming weekday games at work on pop-up riddled sites, joining Arsenal Player, annoying my American friends and my wife with conversations they knew nothing about, ordering my first Arsenal shirts, singing 1-Nil To The Arsenal in the car on my morning commute, and following insane transfer talk all summer long. Funny stories, I discovered Piers Morgan through Arsenal, not CNN. My son saw an old Civil War cannon in Tennessee just last weekend and thought it had something to do with Arsenal.2

Then I had another son to begin sharing this with and it all starts again every Saturday or Sunday morning. Me and my two boys watching The Arsenal is what it’s about. The love.

I also found the get-the-fuck-out-of-my-club-boys, the Kroenke-doesn’t-care-boys, and the it-ended-when-we-left-Highbury-boys. The exclusive trying to exclude some fans instead of include, which is something that doesn’t really happen here. To me it makes no sense even having grown up right in the middle of a sports town. I would love to talk to a Braves fan from another part of the world, or an African or Asian that had even heard of the NHL Carolina Hurricanes. The Arsenal is a truly global brand and the 10th most valuable sports franchise in the world. Having a global network of fans and the added money they bring in is the reason Arsenal is able to compete at the top of the Premier League and in Europe. Why want us gone? Why assume we are plastic and ignorant? Why not try to share your experiences? Why lament changes to the periphery of the sport? Why not focus on the love of the game and the common experiences from other fans wherever they may be and whatever generation they were born into? I really feel sorry for the fans that don’t grasp this.

On Twitter, I follow Arsenal fans on five continents and feel the same passion from them as I do from the Travel Club Members I follow. Sure, I absolutely love hearing the away boys sing, and hearing the Highbury boys tell their stories, and appreciate the hell out of the pictures from grounds all over Europe, but the feeling is generally the same. Gooners in India, Nigeria, and right here in NC—shootout to Triangle Gooners, by the way—love The Arsenal. The love is what pulls me in deeper every day.

So yes, I admit it, I am American and have only been an Arsenal fan for a few years and am nearing 40. The thing is that I self-identify myself as a Gooner now, at least by the new meaning of the term, just like I self identify myself as a father, husband and Braves fan. I’m pretty much like you I think, this club is in my heart and is a part of me now. While I may never have the legacy or be a Gooner by the old meaning of the term, my sons will come up knowing about the club, and that makes me happy. My dream is to one day take both my boys to the Emirates and sing with them.

The funny thing is I never threw away those shorts even though they didn’t come close to fitting my current waist line, I am American, after all. Last season I found them at the bottom of an old drawer and had a tailor cut off the patch and sew it onto a plain cap I bought.3

I wear that hat every day.

Chad

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