Tag Archives: She Wore

What is wrong with goal shy Arsenal?

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January 13th, Anfield. Liverpool 3 – 3 Arsenal.

When Olivier Giroud scored Arsenal’s 3rd in the 55th minute, it was our 7th goal since the turn of the year, following another 3 against Sunderland in the cup, and a one nil win at home to Newcastle.

Since that date, Arsenal have played  7 games. Scoring just 6 goals.

In those 7 games, we have scored in just 3 of them, Leicester, Bournemouth and Burnley.

Arsenal at the moment are having a major problem hitting the back of the net. The statistics make grim reading.

It is not for the want of trying. We have 112 shots in that period. That averages out at 16 shots a game. Or 19 shots a goal.

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In four of the games, the BBC have named the goal keeper as Man of the Match. But this betrays the truth.

Whilst all 4 did have excellent games, and all made key saves to ensure they kept a clean sheet, Arsenal’s strikers did not exactly work them hard. Many of the shots ended up straight down the keepers throat.

Yesterday against Hull was a perfect example. Eldin Jakupovic. Of the 11 shots on target, from memory (and I might be wrong, I think I am still drunk) only two really pushed him as a keeper.

The free kick brilliantly tipped onto the post from Joel Campbell, and Danny Welbeck’s deflected shot. The rest of the shots on target were straight at him. I would be disappointed to have let any of them in.

And it was the same against Leicester, Southampton & Stoke. Plenty of shots straight at the keeper. We made them look good.

Individual players go through struggles in front of goal throughout their career – unless you play in Spain. But it seems that our goal scorers have synced their poor form.

Olivier Giroud has failed to score since that 55th minute strike against Liverpool. It is his longest goalless run since he went 8 games without a goal at the back end of last season. He does not look like ending it any time soon.

Having been our star player last season, Alexis Sanchez has been in awful form this. His shot in the second half which was closer to hitting me (block 11, 19 rows back) than hitting the back of the net. It summed up both his season, and Arsenal’s current form. He has just 3 goals in his last 16 games for club and country.

Moving on to Theo Walcott. Yesterday his over all play was atrocious. His place in the Arsenal side is clearly under threat, as the right hand side is definitely somewhere we can improve next season. He is currently doing nothing to put his name in the hat to start next year. In his last 19 games, he has just 2 goals.

Having scored 16 goals in 2013/14, and 11 in 2014/15, Aaron Ramsey has just 5 this season. And only 2 in his last 11 games. Another key contributor unable to score a goal.

Joel Campbell & Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have contributed 4 goals this season to The Arsenal. Frankly not good enough for a team that so often plays on the front foot.

Even our creators are not scoring. Mesut Ozil. In his last 12 games, he has just 2 goals. He creates a lot, but with just 6 goals in 35 games this season is not good enough for someone his talent.

And then we come on to Santi Cazorla. Yes, he has been injured since November, so can not be blamed for the current dearth in Arsenal goals, but even before his injury, he had not been a threat going forward.

In fact, Cazorla’s last goal for Arsenal was a year ago today. A penalty against Crystal Palace. That is a run of 37 games without a goal. If you take out penalties and free kicks, he has just 1 goal since 28th January 2014. That is one goal from open play in over 2 years.

Cazorla has not just lost his shooting boots. He has burnt them in a barrel, given the ashes to Tim Peake who released them into space when on the International Space Station, never to be seen again.

Arsenal’s forward line has never misfired so badlyUntitledOf course, the ying to our lack of goal scoring form is the yang to our defence.

Since conceding 3 against Liverpool, we have conceded just 3 in the proceeding 7 games, keeping 4 clean sheet along the way.

Whilst we were goal shy against Hull yesterday, at no point did we look like conceding, keeping them to just 1 shot on target.

Hopefully, sooner rather than later, it all clicks into place. The chances we are creating hit the back of the net, and we keep it tight at that back. That will win us games, win us the league, win us the FA Cup.

Arsenal have a problem upfront. And it does not look like being resolved any time soon.

Keenos

shewore

10 things to have happened since Arsenal lost in the FA Cup

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1231) Wigan won their first FA Cup, and got relegated, twice

2) Jose Mourinho rejoined Chelsea, won the league, got sacked

3) Abou Diaby played 16 minutes of football against Norwich

4) Alex Ferguson left Manchester United, replaced by David Moyes, who was replaced by Ryan Giggs, who was replaced by Louis van Gaal

5) England failed to win a game at the 2014 World Cup Finals, then won every game in the 2016 Euro Qualifiers

6) Arsenal signed Mesut Ozil. And Alexis Sanchez. And Petr Cech

7) Mathieu Flamini rejoined Arsenal. Scored a goal v Spurs. And another

8) Spurs won nothing

9) Andy Murray became the first Brit to win Wimbledon for 77 years

10) Arsenal won the FA Cup. Twice

Bonus: Arsenal knocked out Hull in the FA Cup. Twice

Keenos

shewore

The abuse of Arsenal legends

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Over recent weeks, we have heard a lot coming from ex-players of the clubs. These ex-players are not just your average players trying to make a name for themselves (Robson) or bitter ex-players with an agenda, but bonafide legends.

Most recently, it has been Martin Keown, Lee Dixon and Tony Adams. Whether it is by tweet, by newspaper column or by interview. They have all had their say this week.

Firstly Keown had this to say on Twitter about pictures in the dressing room:

Next up was Tony Adams, who in written media for Inside Futbol discussed the reason why Arsenal have not yet won the league:

“He has got a great offensive unit, but I think he is neglecting the defensive side and I think that’s where the problem lies. If they strengthen that area I think they could go and win the league, but I think that’s the error of the team.”

And finally, we have Lee Dixon, who tweeted his opinion on the Jamie Vardy dive:

All 3 had their view on topical subjects regarding Arsenal. And all 3 created a huge debate with their comments.

Now before I go into things too much, I understand how the media works. There is often a difference between what someone says and what the media then report them to say. Things are changed to get hits. Headline’s added for controversy.

Tony Adams is a perfect example. Read the full quotes in the Express. Then look at the headline:

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At no point has Adams slammed Wenger or blames him for no trophies. He just offers a view that Wenger favours attack over defence. And that many sides, not just Arsenal neglect the defensive side of the game.

Clearly the headline writer got a bit creative.

Twitter is a different story, as is radio interviews. It is the players actually view. No twist, no media spin, just their honest view (in most cases – some do tweet for attention).

What shocked me was the amount of arguments all 3 created.

Debate is good. Debate is healthy. But arguments are not. And it led to some fans throwing abuse at 3 Arsenal greats.

But you get the other side as well, who act as if everything an Arsenal legend has to say is golden. That it is fact.

Neither of these sides are correct.

A legend of the club should not be abused. Often they gave decades of service, albeit well paid, to entertaining the fans. Many of them have won everything there is to be won. Have some respect.

On the flip side, just because they played 500+ games and have medals in their pocket, does not mean their opinion is correct, or valid.

Having previously played the game does not mean your view is gospel. That it is more important than a fans. You only have to watch MOTD for that. Or listen to Thierry Henry speak.

Thierry Henry is a perfect example in fact. An Arsenal legend, but an awful pundit.

We should not support his punditry, or his view, just because he used to play for us. But likewise, the fact he is a legend means he should not get the abuse that we often give to eachother.

Should club legends talk about the club? YES. Does them being a legend add weight to what they say? YES. Are we allowed to disagree with said club legend? YES. Should the club legend be disgracefully attacked for their view? NO.

Have some respect, even if you disagree.

Keenos

shewore