Tag Archives: Theo Walcott

Mertesacker, Winning Dirty, Ozil and Cazorla, Barkley and Cavani

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Per Mertesacker

All the attention has been on the performances of Aaron Ramsey this season, but it is the Big Fucking German who has been our player of the year so far. A lot of fans still do not rate him. He still splits opinions. For me, it is down to one thing. You have people who understand football and people who do not understand football. Mertesacker is the best centre back in the Premier League. I struggle to name a better centre back in world football. Maybe Thiago Silva. But that is it. After a touring performance against England for Germany mid-week, he had yet another striker in his pocket yesterday. In recent weeks he has played against small, tricky, quick strikers (Suarez/Sturridge) and big, mobile, strong strikers (Lambert) and come out on top against both. Let’s start respecting a very special talent.

Winning Dirty

We used to moan that we could not win dirty. Against Southampton, against Dortmund, we did just that. Clean sheets and winning dirty. And what happens? Rather than fans praise the side for learning to win dirty, we now criticise them for not playing well. As the old adage go’s, the sign of potential champions is a team who can win when not playing well. We beat Southampton without playing well. A keepers mistake and a penalty. 3 points in the bag. Let’s praise the team.

Ozil and Cazorla

Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla have played less than 500 minutes of football together. Yet already fans are saying they can not play together. Talk about giving them a chance to gel!! It shows the fast food culture we are currently living in. Everyone wants everything now, and football is no different. Players get written off after 2 or 3 games, and the same is happening with this partnership. Lets get a few things right:

  • Talented players can play together no matter how they line up. You can never have too many talented players
  • Santi Cazorla is better out wide. 6 months at Malaga and 6 months at Arsenal was the only time he played on the wing. He got more goals & assists outwide last year then he did inside. And when he drops inside he give Gibbs so much space
  • The pair have barely played together in their correct positions this season, Ozil in the middle with Cazorla outside
  • Now Theo Walcott is back, we will see the partnership take a completely different dimension to the side

Lets give them time to learn their game.

Ross Barkley

This guy is super talented. Whilst there is no place in the Arsenal squad for him, and therefore we do not need him, I am a huge admirer of his talent. Ever since he broke through into the Everton side at 17, I have waited for him to break through as a superstar. A bit like Aaron Ramsey, he broke his leg at a young age (broken in 3 places) in October 2010. As with Ramsey, it put his career back 2 years. Now he is finally coming through. He is a beast physically and has brilliant technique. If England are to have any chance in the World Cup in Rio, they should partner Barkley and Wilshere in the England midfield, with Gerrard anchoring. Barkley is a talent, and my only fear is that as Arsenal do not need him, he will end up at Manchester United, where he will improved their midfield ten-fold.

Cavani

Rumours doing the rounds is that Edison Cavani is unhappy at PSG. Whilst it is mainly speculation, there is usually no smoke without fire. When there is such an arrogant presence such as Zlatan Ibrahimavic at the club, team mates will get rubbed up the wrong way. Ibra wants to be number 1, it is why he left Barcelona. The problem is Cavani has the talent to be number 1 at any club in Europe. A January move might be unlikely, but if he does come available, I want Arsenal to be leading the race for him. Imagine him ahead of Cazorla, Ozil, Walcott. He would be the missing piece.

 

Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott – Partnership made in heaven

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Theo Walcott is set to make his Arsenal return against Southampton for Arsenal this Saturday after being out for 2 months with a stomach injury. Since he picked up his injury, Arsenal have missed his pace and direction. His return from injury will change the way Arsenal perform, and he will add another dimension to our attacking formation. Adding the pace and width to change a game.

Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott have played twice together since the German joined the club. In the 1st game, away to Sunderland, Ozil put Walcott through a couple of times, with the German’s vision and Englishman’s pace combining well. Only some good goal keeping stopped Theo getting a couple of goals. In their second game together, against Marseille, Walcott got his only goal this season.

It was that first game against Sunderland where we really saw what the partnership of Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil could do. With opponent’s being naturally drawn to Mesut Ozil, it gives Walcott bundles of space on the right hand side. With Ozil’s vision and passing ability, he will be able to pick out Walcott for fun. He was put in by Ozil 3 times against Sunderland. He might not have scored, but after 21 goals last season, we know he can finish. It will only be a matter of time until the back of the net starts rippling.

To say the partnership could be similar to the Thierry Henry / Dennis Bergkamp partnership of the early 00s would be ludicrous. It is more similar to that of Nicolas Anelka / Dennis Bergkamp. Bergkamp once said that Anelka was a dream to play with, as his runs were simple and he made it easy for Bergkamp to find. On the other hand, Bergkamp allowed Anelka to play simply. Make the run and the ball will arrive, used to be the mentality.

The Ozil / Walcott partnership will be similar. All Theo has to do is make the run, and the ball will find him. People claim Walcott does not have a football brain. I find this insulting to a professional football. But if it were true, he does not need one with Ozil in the side. All he has to do is run in a straight line, Ozil will do the rest.

Ozil and Walcott have only played twice together. Ozil, Cazorla and Walcott have yet to play together. This becomes even more mouth watering. As now you do not just have Ozil or Cazorla having the ability to find Walcott, you now have Ozil and Cazorla. Arsenal’s play will be very simple. Play around in the middle and on the left, drag the defenders over, then a quick through ball between full back and centre back and Walcott will be away. The 3 behind Giroud gives me exciting thoughts!

How Arsenal line up behind these 3 will be interesting. With Arteta & Flamini battling for 1 spot, and Wilshere and Ramsey the other, it does give us options. And we can play a combination of any 2 of the 4 and we will be strong. To think, with players returning from injury, our bench against Southampton could read: Fabianski, Monreal, Vermalean, Flamini, Wilshere, Rosicky & Bendtner. Who said we had no strength in depth?

It is crazy to think that Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil have only paid twice together this season. It is perhaps testament to how well Arsenal have started that they are still top, despite last seasons second best player (Santi Cazorla being 1st) being out for 2 months. There have been games where Walcott’s pace and width have been missed – WBA away springs to mind – and his return will only make Arsenal stronger.

Whether he starts or is on the bench for the game against Southampton, one thing is for certain, his return makes the Arsenal side better, and the Ozil/Walcott partnership will go from strength to strength.

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