Tag Archives: She Wore

Are things at Arsenal as disastrous as some are making out?

9 Replies

I always think sometimes it is worthwhile taking a step away from something and looking at it from afar. That way you can often get a better perspective of what you are looking at.

Now Arsenal’s Premier League form – especially away- has been poor in 2017. We are already 16 points behind Manchester City, which is a gap that is too far to bridge. Man City are as short as 1/25 to win the title, Arsenal a massive 150/1.

But then on Sunday, during the Liverpool v Everton game, I got a bit of perspective of the situation we are in.

Arsenal are awful, apparently. The majority of the time during the game against Southampton and after, everyone was slagging us off. Highlighting how bad we are. The poor run we are on. Much of it was justified.

During the Scouse Derby, the commentator said Liverpool have been an irresistible force this season. I dropped this into a WhatsApp group and most people seemed to agree with the commentator. The

Liverpool had been brilliant this season. Their free flowing attacking football was superior to our turgid play that was not bringing us any results.

But then I posted up the league table. The brilliant Liverpool were just a single point ahead of Arsenal, and had only scored 4 more league goals. It bought some perspective to our thinking.

Yes, we are out of the title race, but everyone bar Manchester City is out of the title race.

We sit in 5th place, ahead of another irresistible force in Tottenham. We are just 3 points behind Chelsea. In fact, just 4 points separates Chelsea in 3rd and Spurs in 6th.

I am very much of the opinion that Manchester City are awesome this season. Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs are all fairly average.  And Manchester United sit somewhere in between the two groups.

This was highlighted this weekend by Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool all failing to win.

The result against Southampton was a disappointing one, but some perspective needs to be used. We are not as poor as people are making out, likewise Liverpool, Spurs et al are not as good as people are making out.

Whilst we are talking about Liverpool, I have seen the Jurgen Klopp interview from Sunday. He looks a man under pressure.

People go on about him like he is a great manager. That he has transformed Liverpool. But again, if you take a step away and look from afar, what has he actually achieved?

In the two seasons Klopp has been at the club, Liverpool have finished 8th and 4th – the last two seasons of Brendan Rodger, Liverpool finished 2nd and 6th.

On top of this, Klopp is without a trophy in his first 2 seasons. A failure to win a cup this year will make it 3 seasons without a trophy.

How long will the media and Liverpool fans continue to gloss over his failures?

It is a bit like Tottenham. Everyone talking about how great they are, how great Pochettino is. But they have also won nothing.

Meanwhile, look at Arsenal. 3 FA Cups in 4 years and people say Arsene Wenger is not doing a good job.

Now I am not saying he is doing a good job, but he certainly is not doing a poor job. We have perhaps become trophy snobs. The FA Cup no longer deemed good enough. Deemed enough.

But then looking through history, this is the 4th most successful period in Arsenal’s history (1930-37, 1987-1993, 1998-2005). 3 trophies in 4 years.

Things may not feel great at Arsenal at the moment, but we are still in with a chance of winning 3 competitions.

Have a little positivity in your life. It is Christmas after all.

Keenos

 

What do Arsenal need to do in January?

Leave a reply

Sign a reinforcement

We have to be realistic when it comes to the January transfer window.

History shows that not much business is done in January. That sides will not go out and buy 5 it 6 players. Arsenal have notoriously done little business in January, and I do not expect that to change.

I would be surprised if Arsene Wenger signed more than a single player.

We recently conducted a poll on Twitter about what you, the fans, would like to see us sign in January:

Over 1,200 participated and the vote was fairly evenly split between a centre back, a defensive midfielder, and a replacement for Ozil or Sanchez.

For me it depends what play comes available – often in January you are governed by an individual wanting to make a move rather.

This means that if someone like Virgil van Dyke does agitate for a move away once more, we should go for him. But we should not settle for someone inferior just for the sake of getting in a centre back.

Likewise if Thomas Lemar or Julian Draxler want a January move, the doors to the Marble Halls should be open.

Once player looking like he wants a move is former Blackburn central midfielder Steven Nzonzi.

Currently at Sevilla, the 28-year-old has reportedly fallen out with manager Eduardo Berizzo. With a £35m release clause, it is a deal which could be tied up quite quickly. Whether he is the right player for Arsenal, however, is another debate.

What is for certain is Arsenal need to buy someone in January to keep the squad moving and fresh. With us fighting for 3 trophies, and in the race for 4th place, we need reinforcements.

Keep Sanchez and Ozil

Over the summer, arsenal stood firm over Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil. They mad it clear, they would rather let both run their contracts down and leave for nothing rather than sell them.

Towards the end of the window, Arsenal looked set to let Sanchez leave to Manchester City, with Thomas Lemar set to come in. Lemar decided to turn Arsenal down causing the Sanchez deal feel through.

This lead to both Sanchez and Ozil staying.

4 months on and I imagine Arsenal’s position has not changed.

Despite the poor form of Alexis Sanchez, I would be surprised if the club let either him or Ozil go in January without having signed a replacement.

If we do let them go without signing a replacement, you then have to question why we did not just do so in the summer when both players value would have been twice as much – Sanchez to Manchester City was reportedly a £60m deal.

With the club still fighting for 3 trophies, as well as in the hunt for a Top 4 finish, it would be odd for the club to sell either without replacing.

Arsenal need to keep both Sanchez and Ozil until the end of the season, unless a replacement is bought in January.

Secure Leon Goretzka

I have been a fan of Schalke midfielder Leon Goretzka for some time. The 22 year old German midfielder is a terrific all-round midfielder. There is a whole host of players available on a free transfer this summer, and Leon Goretzka is the best of the bunch.

Arsenal are able to do a deal for the German in January to join in the summer, and should make the move and secure his signature.

Whilst Goretzka would not be a direct replacement for Ozil and Sanchez, he would go some way to replacing them.

I believe his future is playing deeper than he does for Schalke. Like Kevin de Bruyne does for Manchester City – dictating play from deep but also joining in the attack.

Playing Goretzka deeper would then free up to push Aaron Ramsey further forward – his more natural position.

Getting in Goretzka will be a big statement for next season that we are already making top quality signings.

Keenos

10 Arsene Wenger Statistics

2 Replies

  1. The victory of BATE Borisov was Arsene Wenger’s 700th in all competitions as Arsenal manager
  2. His first win came back on October 12th A 2-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers. Ian Wright scored twice
  3. The manager with the next most wins for Arsenal is Bertie Mee, with 241.
  4. The wins have come in the Premier League (466), Champions League (96), FA Cup (78), League Cup (43), Uefa Cup/Europa League (10), Community Shield (7).
  5. The side he has beaten most often is Everton (31). He has also overseen 23 victories over Tottenham
  6. His biggest win is 7-0, recorded three times (against Everton in 2005, Middlesbrough in 2006 and Slavia Prage in 2007)
  7. The most common winning scoreline is 2-1 (126)
  8. 216 of the wins came at Emirates Stadium.
  9. His most wins in a season is 39 in 2001/02
  10. The 700 wins came from 1,199 games at a rate of 58.4%.

Keenos