Tag Archives: She Wore A Yellow Ribbon

Arsenal’s 2017/18 fixtures and latest odds

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The fixtures have been announced and everyone is now scribbling away trying to analyse where we will end up in May 2018.

Key dates include:

Arsenal v Spurs – 18/11/2017
Spurs v Arsenal – 10/02/2017
First game of the season: Arsenal v Leicester City – 12/08/2017
Boxing Day: Crystal Palace v Arsenal – 26/12/2017
New Years Day: Arsenal v Chelsea – 01/01/2018
Last game of the season: Huddersfield v Arsenal – 13/05/2017

The following games will be moved due to Europa League group stages:

Chelsea v Arsenal – 16/09/2017
Arsenal v Brighton – 30/09/2017
Everton v Arsenal – 21/10/2017
Man City v Arsenal – 04/11/2017
Burnley v Arsenal – 25/11/2017
Southampton v Arsenal – 09/12/2017

Current odds:

Arsenal to win the Premier League – 11/1
Arsenal to finish top 4 – 10/11
Arsenal to finish outside top 4 – 4/5
Alexis Sanchez to be top goal scorer – 10/1
Arsenal to win the Europa League – 9/1
Arsenal to win the FA Cup – 8/1
Arsenal to win the EFL Cup – 7/1

 

 

Who will be Arsenal’s number 2 next year?

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Who will be Arsenal’s number 2 next year?

In an ideal world, playing Football Manager on my lap top, I would have signed Jordan Pickford this summer.

The deal would have been easy. With Petr Cech coming to the end of his career, Pickford would have come in as Arsenal’s number two. With Arsenal in the Europa League, Pickford would have got all the cup games. League Cup and Europa League games in the first half of the year. Europa League and FA Cup in the second half.

This would amount to around 20 games depending on our progress in the 3 competitions. All a while giving Pickford the chance to train alongside a goal keeping legend, and Arsenal a close up opportunity to judge whether Pickford really is a future superstar.

After the 1st year, Cech would then be put down and Pickford, if he has shown he can deal with the extra scrutiny and expectations at a top club, would step up to be Arsenal’s number one for the next 10 years.

In joining Everton, Pickford has actually made a good decision. Rather than be a number two at Arsenal, Manchester United or Chelsea, he has joined a lesser team where he will go straight in as number one. With Joe Hart out of form and Jack Butland still not 100% after his long term injury, Pickford is giving himself the best outside chance to be England Number 1 at the World Cup in 2018.

At the very least, as long as he stays injury free, you would expect him to leap over Tom Heaton and Fraser Forster and be on the plane to Russia.

A couple of decent years for Everton, the top clubs will then be knocking on his door offering him the chance of the Number 1 jersey.

The price of £30m might be excessive, but Everton might have just signed their goal keeper for the next 10 years – that then works out at £3m a year. Or if he performs well and in 2 years joins Manchester City, Manchester United or Chelsea as their new number 1, you have to think they would be willing to pay £50m – especially considering the way transfer prices are inflating each year.

With Pickford off the table, this removes one potential option for a future understudy for Petr Cech.

Current number 2, David Ospina, is surely finally going to leave this summer? How long can a class keeper, and regular for his country, stay as number 2, playing a a dozen or so games a year?

It is clear Arsene Wenger does not think he is good enough to be number 1 in the Premier League, so he will surely be shipped out. Long term interest from Fenerbache might finally turn into a transfer.

We then have Wojciech Szczesny.

Many fans have looked at the stats and decided Szczesny was the best keeper in Italy last year, when he was on loan to Roma. They see Juventus looking to make a £14m offer for his services as the eventual replacement for Gianluigi Buffon. “If he is good enough to replace the greatest of all time, why is he not good enough for Arsenal” a friend asked me yesterday.

A valid question, and my response was reasonable. “He has had enough chances at Arsenal.”

Whilst Szczesny’s natural ability has never been in question, what is between his ears has been.

A tendency to lose concentration that led to mistakes that cost goals, and a few attitude issues, saw Szczesny lose his place in the Arsenal first team on more than one occasion. Things came to a head in January when Szczesny made errors leading to both goals in Arsenal’s 2–0 defeat at Southampton. His response was to go to the showers for a smoke, and he was dropped for the rest of the season.

Sent on loan to Italy, he has matured in the 2 years he has been at Roma, but old habits die hard. He was dropped in 2016 after once again being caught smoking following a 6-1 defeat to Barcelona. And whilst he often made match winning saves, the mistakes have not been eradicated from his game.

For me, if we still planned for him to be number 1, he should have been bought back from loan last season, number 2 for Arsenal in 2016/17 and then moved to 1st choice this season.

With a year left on his contract, Arsenal will do well to cash in on him.

That then leaves us with Emiliano Martinez.

The giant Argentinean looked OK in his very small handful of games this season. But has he really shown enough to be number 2 next season.

Let me switch the question around. If Petr Cech picked up a season long injury on 1st September 2017, would you be happy with Martinez coming in for the remainder of the season? Or until January 1st? The answer is probably no.

He might be a decent 3rd choice keeper. But he has simply not shown enough that he can be Cech’s back up. And with Arsenal also needing to search for a new first choice keeper over the next 12 months, Martinez is simply not good enough.

He would be worth keeping around for as long as he wants to be 3rd choice, but, like Vito Mannone before him, he will never be more than that at Arsenal.

That leaves Arsenal in an awkward situation. We need to go out and find a 2nd choice keeper who is happy being an understudy to Petr Cech. Happy with the Europa League games. But is good enough to replace Cech if he picks up an injury. In an ideal world, it would be someone under 25 who could then replace Cech in a years time.

When you look at the top 6’s current Number 2, you see the calibre of goal keeper we need to target (based on 2016/17):

Chelsea: Asmir Begovic
Tottenham: Michel Vorm
Manchester City: Willy Caballero
Liverpool: Loris Karius
Arsenal: David Ospina
Manchester United: Sergio Romero
Everton: Joel Robles

All 7 have been regular number for top flight sides in England, Spain, Germany or France. 4 of the 7 have played for their country, 3 of which have been their countries undisputed number 1 at some point in their career.

It will not be easy finding a number two.

Would the likes of Joe Hart, Fraser Forster or Jack Butland be happy putting their World Cup place at risk? Probably not. Maybe Arsenal could go another route and encourage the now-surplus-to-requirements Maarten Stekelenburg to finish his career as number 2 at Arsenal? Not one for the future but certainly good enough to deputise for Cech. Adrian at West Ham could be a similar senior option if they sign Joe Hart.

Could Arsenal make a move for AC Milan youngster Gianluigi Donnarumma? He certainly has the talent the be a future number one and at just 18 might be willing to spend a year behind Petr Cech to continue learning his trade. Although to go from AC Milan number 1 to arsenal number 2 might take some encouraging. With a year left on his current Milan deal, it is a move Arsenal could make.

Another young Italian is Simone Scuffet at Udinese. At 21 he is older than Donnarumma, but less experienced. Another who could be future number 1, but is he currently good enough to take over from Cech were Cech to get injured? Possibly not.

A final option (well not the final option, but the last name I am going to mention) is Germany’s Timo Horn. At 24 he has a big future ahead of him, and has already totted up over 150 games for Koln. At the 2016 Olympics, he was Germany’s starting goal keeper.

He has been compared in his career to Liverpool’s Loris Karius – who had a rough 1st year in the North-West. But he would be coming in for a year to play 2nd fiddle to Cech, rather than Karius who came in as number one

There are plenty of other options for Arsenal this summer, and it will be an interesting one to watch unfold and see what route Wenger takes us down.

Keenos

 

What does the future hold for 3 Arsenal stars?

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Aaron Ramsey

Has anyone had such an up and down career as Aaron Ramsey?

He is now 26 and been at Arsenal and next season will be his tenth at Arsenal. His career has certainly been one of peaks and troughs.

Breaking through on the scene back in 2008 having signed for Arsenal a goal against Fenerbache saw him become the fifth youngest goal scorer in Champions League history. In that game, his overall performance was exceptional. A ball with the outside of his foot especially sticks in the mind.

The next season saw him continue to grow, becoming a first team regular at just 19, leading many to declare him as a future Arsenal captain. That season was cruelly cut short in February 2010 when Ryan Shawcross through himself recklessly into a challenge, breaking Ramsey’s leg into 3.

A slow period of rehabilitation in 2010/11 saw him loaned out to Nottingham Forest and Cardiff. Whilst he was out, Arsenal saw one of their own break through in Jack Wilshire. The teenage Englishman putting in performances that defied his age.

Upon Ramsey’s return in 2011/12, the injury had clearly affected him as he had a fairly poor season. It was made to seem even worse after Wilshere’s excellent season previously. With Wilshere now out, the spotlight was back on Ramsey. And he shrinked.

2011 did have a high for Ramsey. Despite his poor season for Arsenal, he was names Wales captain. He was just 20 years 90 days. He finished the year staring for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics.

The next year saw his form continue to stagnate. With Wilshere returning, Ramsey looked well behind his English counterpart. Poor form led him to lose the Wales captaincy as new manager – Chris Coleman – went for the experience “Welshman” Ashley Williams.

The 2nd half of 2012/13 saw him put in solid performances defensively. His work rate was becoming a key asset, but he continually let himself down when it came to passing, and he simply did not score enough.

Then he had a high. The first half of 2013/14 saw him in exceptional form with 8 goals in the 1st 9 games. He continued this good form until December, when a familiar enemy to Ramsey reared its ugly head once more. Injury. This would rule him out until April.

Ramsey played just 7 games in the 2nd half of the season, but he finished it on one of the most ridiculous highs, scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup Final.

Since the high, Ramsey has had 3 tough years.

Often in and out of the team with injury, his form average, his decision making poor. It has lead to many fans getting on his back, often far too quickly.

A poor season in 2016 saw him go to the Euro’s in France and show that he was one of the best midfielders in Europe. But then once more, he got injured, ruling him out for 3 months.

His return from injury, he looked slow, off the pace, shot. Unable to score, unable to pass, unable to tackle. Was Aaron Ramsey’s time at Arsenal coming to an end?

The back end of 2016/17 saw him regain some form. In the new 3-4-3 formation, he was able to get forward more, get in the opponents box where he excels with his late runs. He once more looked a threat. And in the last game of 2016/17, another year interrupted with injury, he scored another FA Cup Final winner.

Last night for Wales against Serbia Ramsey showed what a good player he can be when he plays unrestricted, relaxed. Not trying too much, keeping it simple, running the game. He was easily the best player on the field – now before you say it was only Serbia, look at their line up: Matic, Ivanovic, Tadic, Kolarov, Mitrovic & Nastasic.

The thing for Ramsey now is he turned 27 in December. He is at the peak of his powers. This season is perhaps the most important of his career. He could still become Arsenal captain. Be a key player in the middle of the park in Islington for the next 5 years.

But he needs less troughs and more peaks. He needs to stay fit. He needs some consistency.

Laurent Koscielny

“I have a contract with Arsenal, I even signed an extension last November until 2020,” Koscielny said.

“I feel very good over there.

“I have always said that I was a Marseille fan when I was younger. When a mythical club like Marseille contact you, it is good. But will I sign for them? I have no idea at all.”

That was Koscielny’s response to a question on an appearance on Telefoot when he was asked whether he would consider a move to the newly-monied Marseille.

Now it is clear to me that he is made it clear that he is committed to Arsenal. But there will be some journalists out there who, chasing the hits and advertising revenue, will focus on the 2nd half of his quotes. That he is a Marseille fan and he thinks it is good that he has been linked with them.

My theory is simple. With a contract through to 2020, Koscielny will set out this deal with Arsenal. Come 2020, and after the Euro’s, he will be 34 and join his boyhood club on a free transfer.

At that point he would have spent 10 or so years at Arsenal, been a loyal servant to the club, but be no longer guaranteed a place in the first XI. He will return to France to see out his career at his boyhood club in an easier league. And good luck to him.

In the short term, Koscielny is going no where.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Rumours are circulating that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will sign a new contract. Hopefully leading the way for Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil to also stay at the club long term.

What is becoming key for Oxlade-Chamberlain is his versatility. Currently pencilled in at right wing back, the fact that he can play left wing back, and on the wings highlights how important he is for Arsenal’s squad depth.

There is also a possibility that if Sanchez or Ozil does go, he might end up playing further up the field, behind a striker.

Like Ramsey, he has had a turbulent career at Arsenal. And like Ramsey, a lot of that is to do with injury.

If he stays fit, stays consistent, he might finally fulfil his potential.

 

Have a good week all!

Keenos