This is how i see things panning out at Arsenal. If Sol Campbell signs for another year, Arsene will definitely sign a goalkeeper and will not sign any other Centre backs. If Sol doesn’t sign, there will be a defender signed and no keeper will be signed. This should see Fabianski become the number one and Almunia leaving, the young pole and the young Italian deputising. Fabianski is very highly rated despite his proneness to errors; he has very fast reactions and a quick recovery time.
Johan Djourou has looked a bit rusty and even though I’m glad to see him back, i don’t think he is the answer to our defensive problems right now.
I was in despair during the first half of the Sturm Graz match as i was watching the same defending that saw us concede a lot of goals last season. In the second half the defending didn’t improve but what did improve was the control of the game and the possession. It got me thinking, Puyol is not the best defender in the world nor is he very tall, Pique is prone to errors, so is Ramos and Capdevilla but they still won the WC, how? Because their midfielders starve the other team of the ball. This means they are rarely troubled as a defensive unit. Arsène Wenger wants to follow the same principle. In Vermaelen you have a defender who has a lot of heart, good in the air but not very tall ala Carles Puyol. Then a youngster who can read the game well and grow into the role like Kos/Djourou.
During the first half of the season there was something distinct about Arsenal. They played like Barcelona; they pressed up the pitch, worked hard off the ball and rarely gave away possession.
My worry is how Arsenal are going to line up, if 4-3-3:
?????
Sagna ????? Vermaelen Clichy
Song
Fabregas ?????
Nasri Van Persie Arshavin
These 7 are possibly the only players that are nailed on to start these leaves a few guys that think they should be probably starting every game now
Bendtner
Rosicky
Chamakh
Diaby
Denilson
Walcott
Vela
i think it will Give Arsenal a selection problem. Where will Chamakh fit? What about Bendtner, Theo Walcott and Rosicky? These four might be fighting for one position on the right and maybe the left. Now i will try to put what would be my preferred starting 11 would be, using Barcelona’s model, who I hate but respect.
Fabianski
Sagna Djourou Vermaelen Clichy
Unless another defensive player is signed this will likely be the back 5 that we will see come the Liverpool game and I won’t explain much on this.
Song
Rosicky Fabregas
I know how Rosicky plays, yet he has improved in his passing game. He keeps is tidy and keeps it moving, he is the reason why the match against Graz stabilised in the second half. There is a clip floating somewhere on how he just kept it ticking with simple passing and not giving it away. To me he is Arsenal’s Iniesta, he is unspectacular, and he works well with Fabregas, and he keeps things moving.
Fabregas is like Xavi, but I genuinely believe Fabregas is better than Xavi. Xavi had the best pass rate at the World Cup but Fabregas is better in the final third of the pitch. Fabregas is a more composed finisher and is a great assister. He is also the captain of this young side.
Nasri Van Persie Arshavin
In essence what you will end up having is 11 players that can pass the ball pretty well; I hope this is what Arsène will go with. Nasri has looked more physically stronger and more determined, he is different to the Nasri we saw last season and with no injuries in pre-season he has a point to prove. Arshavin had a disappointing season by his standards and he has looked sharper and hungrier. Sources say the Russian will sign a contract extension which shows his commitment to fight. Van Persie smarting from the WC, and is sick and tired of being a nearly man. He was there when Arsenal nearly won the Champions League in 2006, he was there when the young Arsenal team lost out to Chelsea in the Carling Cup, and he’s been there when Arsenal nearly won the title last year and 2 years ago. With his injury woes he is a man with a point to prove and will be hungry.
Article written by Emmanuel
Arsenal News 24/7
Blah… Nothing really new here I’m afraid.
Pretty sure chamakh will start
nice article and a good blog .
some definate (good) selection problems but i’m sure injuries will play a big part in the picking process. i think for most games diaby will start as he holds the ball well and breaks up play with foul after foul. just hope everyone can remain happy and play their part when needed.
“Sources say the Russian will sign a contract extension which shows his commitment to fight” Bollocks to that
When will people learn, this only shows his commitment to get a pay rise nothing more. If he had only 1 year remaining on his contract and decided to re-sign then yes there is some commitment there but in reality if this happened the meerkat would be off to Barca on a cut price free before anyway could say ‘simples’.
Contracts mean nothing anymore. If Fabregas doesnt leave this summer it will be next summer 100% certain.
“Diaby holds the ball up well” think there should be “sometimes” added to that sentence. On his day he is a very good player, but too inconsistent and can be very poor and a liability in one of the main positions you don’t want all this.
Zaz I agree 100% with what you had to say. I remember contracts really used to mean something, however if the player wants a transfer NOW then he can make it happen. Lescott was a good example last year and Milner will show us that this season.
if he fails to sign a keeper we are in big,big trouble
Worst. Analysis. EVER.
Your assessment of Fabianski was apparently done without ever seeing the Pole play. “Fast reactions”? “Quick recovery time”? At what point has he ever displayed these traits? And even if he did, the same “proneness to errors” that you mention will mean 2+ goals to overcome anyway. Not only that, but you simply gloss over what is at this point a rather gaping hole in our central defence, as if to say “sure, just throw either Djourou or Koscielny in there, they’ll grow into it.” More planning for a future that never comes, with no focus on the now. The same pressing that is required for the Barca system to work is beyond what this team seems capable of focusing on. Arshavin does NOT defend, I think we’re all happy if he doesn’t just stroll about the pitch for the bulk of the match. And your point about selection problems ignores the major flaw in your analysis: Arsenal NEVER field a completely healthy team, end of.
dude who da fck are u call our lovely club arselo**
I See Us Playing A 4-1-3-2 style maybe?
vito or chezza in goal preferably,
sagna,Kos,Verma,Clichy as back 4
Song Between the Defence And 3 mids
Nasri, Fab, Arshavin Plays on The Left But Further Down the Pitch
With Chamack On The Left(Right Footed)
and Van Persie On The Right(Left Footed)
Or I Wudent Mind If we Played
4-1-3-1-1 with van persie behind chamakh (y)
Flappyhandski as No. 1?!?!, are you taking the piss. I would prefer Almunia to that twat. Atleast almunia has some good games. Flappy has none, every time he plays we lose. We need a keeper, and if we don’t sign one. I don’t understand what’s going through arsenes head. Chesney is way way off from being no.1 and with almunia looking set to leave and Fabianski having a nervous break down, that only leave Mannone! We need a keeper of the calibur of Stecklenburg or Ankinfeev other wise were screwed at the back next season. We also need another CB, prefably mertesacker, jagielka or cahill.
nooo…thats wrong this is how we line up
goaly
sagna ? T-V clichy s
song
nasri fabreags arsharvin
chamack V-P
we need a goaly (any1 but r lot and scwarzer who isnt even that good) and a defnder… and ozil if we r lucky lol
I propose that Arsenal fans World wide post letters once a week for the next four weeks to UEFA & FIFA complaining about Barcelona FC’s ‘tapping up’ of Cesc Fabregas. Also post a letter just once to Arsenal FC requesting that they formally complain to UEFA & FIFA. I have drawn up 3 template letters that I will email to willing participants. All you need to do is type in your own Name & Address before printing off & posting. Momentum will be boosted by you forwarding the email to every one of your Arsenal FC fan family & friends, encouraging them to participate.
The aim of repetitive letters is to create an Admin headache for UEFA & FIFA with thousands of letters received from all over the world & display the strength of feeling from Arsenal FC fans. The purpose of the single letter to Arsenal FC is again to display the strength of feeling from us fans.
My email address for this campaign from where I will email you the letter templates is …….. ArsenalFansHateBarcelonaFC@gmail.com
I propose that Arsenal fans World wide post letters once a week for the next 4 weeks to UEFA & FIFA complaining about Barcelona FC’s ‘tapping up’ of Cesc Fabregas. Also post a letter just once to Arsenal FC requesting that they formally complain to UEFA & FIFA. I have drawn up 3 template letters that I will email to willing participants. All you need to do is type in your own Name & Address before printing off & posting. Momentum will be boosted by you forwarding the email to every one of your Arsenal FC fan family & friends, encouraging them to participate.
The aim of repetitive letters is to create an Admin headache for UEFA & FIFA with thousands of letters received from all over the world & display the strength of feeling from Arsenal FC fans. The purpose of the single letter to Arsenal FC is again to display the strength of feeling from us fans.
My email address for this campaign from where I will email you the letter templates is …….. ArsenalFansHateBarcelonaFC@gmail.com
This is an extremely poor article. Any article that thinks Fabianski and Djourou are 1st 11 players just got to be poor – these 2 are not even good enough for championship football. We will be 5th or 6th with this line up. Dont get me wrong – this article is very close to what Wenger wants any way. Now do you understand why Fabregas wants to leave ? Did he not talk about “schoolboy defending” last season ? and with Gallas and Almunia replaced by those worse than them, get ready for kindergarten defending !
Kipmonster, do not blame Barca. Instead blame Wenger and the board for their love of money, which goes well beyond what happens on the pitch. It is the Arsenal board we need to protest to eg banning matches so that Wenger respects the fans and stop believing that we are numptees. He and the board need to ditch this stupid youth model and spend the money Arsenal have earned. One we put our house in order then we can talk about Barca.
I would like to see Nasri play alongside fabregas with Chamakh taking his place, also seeing Koscielny playing next to Vermalen, i dont think Djourou is good enough yet :/
Defending starts with the forwards…
Try a different line up with 3 defenders and 2 DM.
GK
Sagna, Vermaelen, Clichy
Song, Djourou
Nasri, Fabregas, Rosicky
Chamakh, v Persie
After quite alot of signings this year, well for wenger at least. Lets be honest. Nothing much has changed at all. It seems like wenger had made signings so that he can put them on the bench. We need top class players who are going to start if we’re going to contend for the title or any honours next year. I don’t even see why wenger is offering a contract to sol, he is slow and pretty useless if you ask me. We need a decent keeper and a centre back that is actually going to start! its stupid buying players for the future when we need class players NOW.
Wegner betrayd us he told us dat we are goin 2 sign players dis season to me we signd 1 coz 1 ws on a free transfer and sol and slyvester shud leave to raise extra cash coz we don nid them. If we dont sign any keeper it wil be the same old tale and Wegner irritates me for refusing to spend money dat do nt belong to hm guys pls do sumtin about dis. I mean those who are near to emirates protest 4 us till we see change please.
YOU ARE A WANKER GO SUPPORT BARCELONA YOU LOOSER!!!
Trent, its a ‘loser’, not ‘looser’.
Trent do you think that all is good at arsenal or maybe you are in denial! Wake up b4 its 2 late or s i sed whn we get to the middle of è league everythin goes against us. Why dont u suport barca urself coz ts on ur lips which shows u lyk them.
Trent – “Looser ?” Your command of the English language is quite terrible – you can’t spell loser and you dont know what it means. Wenger has won nothing in 5 yeasrs. Who is the loser? Yes its you as well, for not wanting improvements in your team, and accepting mediocrity. And Oh, please cut out the swearing.
Hi guys, I wrote the article and I didn’t expect everyone to agree with me. Football is all about opinions and there will always be disagreements. But this is good
I think the first point of your analysis is about as absurd as any first point can get. Fabianski as first choice GK ? And all because Sol Campbell doesn’t sign. Wenger’s considerations over the two positions aren’t related. Nor are they mutually exclusive.
While I can see him sticking with three (in a squad of 25) out of our four available GKs. Of course this flies in the face of what every Arsenal fan wants – a Lloris, an Akenfeev, a Given a – sod it, anybody not called James. But I can see Wenger’s point: Szczesny is something good waiting to happen so let’s wait until it’s ready to happen.
Wenger already knows what he’s going to do. Exactly what he’s going to do. It’s too late in the season for that not to be the case.
He says “The situation with Sol Campbell is still open and for the rest we’re still looking.”
It’s too vague a statement to extrapolate anything conclusive.
As for posters like @Nesta. For God’s sake get a grip. “Betrayed”? Really? Wenger isn’t a big spender. Nevr has been. He builds teams year on year. This year we may have Wilshere, Frimpong, Szczesny, and Nordveit all coming through. Who would you rather have? Wilshere or Ozil? Szczesny or Schwarzer? This is what other clubs don’t do. This is why AFC is a unique club with a unique ethos.
And it’s one of the reasons that I’m proud to be a supporter.
Vijay my problem wit grooming youngesters is that whn they get to their level best they leave us thats what i hate that we r nt an academy if we cud hv kept our playas together 4 a longer period sumtin wil cum through. I think our down fall came whn we let hleb,flamini and gilberto leave my opinion. S 4 sayin wenger betrayd us um sorry 4 dat.
First of all not sure about the comment “Arsène Wenger wants to follow the same principle. In Vermaelen you have a defender who has a lot of heart, good in the air but not very tall ala Carles Puyol. Then a youngster who can read the game well and grow into the role like Kos/Djourou.” – Kos is actually older than Vermaelen, if you are going to say he is less experienced, Djourou has played more games for Arsenal than both of them put together!
As for the formation i think we have already enhanced it for the coming season by playing 4-2-1-1-2. From what i have seen so far we have been playing with 1 holding midfielder a deep lying playmaker and an offensive playmaker, with the forwards having one deeper and 2 more advanced. I think the reason for this is our lack of quality on the flanks. Even Arshavin prefers a more central role and i see him playing that role behind the front 2. When Cesc is back i can see Wenger rotating between him and Nasri as the offensive playmaker. I can also see Wing backs becoming more important this season and think Eboue, Gibbs and Traore will be much more involved than usual. If we sign only one more player (Campbell) as i expect this is the line up i think wenger would prefer.
Fabianski
Campbell Vermaelen
Eboue Clichy
Song Nasri(or Diaby)
Fabregas
Arshavin
Van Persie Chamakh
With this type of formation you can easily swap from offensive to defensive play, the player in the Nasri role becoming key and having to be a real box to box type player. If Nasri can get his fitness levels right up he will be an absolute gem in this role. It will suit Diaby, Ramsey, Lansbury, Henderson and even Denilson will prefer this type of role. Rosicky, Nasri, Wilshere & Ramsey will be the cover for both Fabregas and Arshavin in this formation. Arshavin will prefer his role here and when he tires RVP can drop back allowing the fresh legs of Walcott, Vela, or JET to come on as strikers not wingers, although their tendency to drift wide will be perfect in dragging the tiring defences out of position. So what of Bendtner? well i see him and Chamakh fighting it out for this role however, when height is needed you might see the 2 of them working together which could be a real handful.
U r a sch boy. Ur posting like kid. Stop copying other posting.
A bit harsh Dax. It’s Emmanuel’s first article he’s written, and I for one think it’s a very good one.