A Fabricio Coloccini own goal sealed the victory as Arsenal won 1-0 at 10-man Newcastle despite a far from convincing display at St James' Park.
Aleksandar Mitrovic's early red card gave Newcastle an uphill struggle. But the Gunners didn't make their dominance count enough and had to rely on an unfortunate deflection to help them to victory.
The match once again highlighted Arsenal's need to enter the transfer market for a striker. Although Olivier Giroud and Walcott are decent players, it is about time we snap up a striker who can get us 25-30 goals a season. Obviously that is easier said than done but we certainly need to address the issue. We have drawn a blank in two of our four league games and we should be doing a lot better than that.
The match stats are also a bit misleading as Arsenal got nine of their 22 shots on target, but it certainly didn't feel like there had been that many opportunities in what was, in truth, a very dull game.
Arsenal came close to opening the scoring after eight minutes when a delightful first-time pass from Hector Bellerin set up Walcott, but Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul was out quickly to block the England international's effort.
The Gunners saw a penalty appeal turned down minutes after Florian Thauvin appeared to push Bellerin in the box. The touch was very minimal and could have been considered harsh had a spot-kick been given.
Newcastle, who failed to register a single shot on target during the whole match, were reduced to 10 men after just 16 minutes after Mitrovic's studs-up challenge saw him stamp on the foot of Francis Coquelin.
Arsenal were unable to make their extra man advantage count in the first half and didn't create enough clear-cut chances. Alexis Sanchez forced a save out of Krul, with Walcott sending the rebound over the bar, while Aaron Ramsey saw his effort deflected wide. But that's about as good as it got for the visitors in the opening 45 minutes
The Gunners finally broke the deadlock within seven minutes of the restart. Ramsey was denied by Krul before the ball fell kindly for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and his strike went in off the heel of Coloccini.
The visitors almost doubled their advantage soon after but Krul produced a fine one-handed save to keep out Sanchez from close range. Arsenal were unable to add to their lead with both Santi Cazorla and substitute Giroud shooting straight at Krul.
Arsenal held on for a deserved victory and getting a positive result was pleasing to see but our performance in attack definitely needs to improve when we face Stoke in our next league outing.
OPPOSITION'S VIEW
Newcastle have failed to win any of their opening four league games and the fact they didn't even test Petr Cech in the Arsenal goal was very worrying for them. Magpies' fan David Charlesworth knew it was always going to be tough for his side following Mitrovic's dismissal, saying: "It's difficult to form an opinion on our display after playing most of the match with 10 men.
"No doubt, Arsenal were worthy winners and probably would have walked off with all three points even if Aleksandar Mitrovic had stayed on the pitch. I think we have a bit of a rough diamond in the Serbian - he put in a hell of a shift at Old Trafford last week but is prone to a few brain farts."
But Charlesworth still found reason to be upbeat despite the result and he added: "My biggest gripe about our calamitous end to last season was that a few too many looked disinterested and there was a distinct lack of passion on show. That charge can't be levelled against Steve McClaren's side on the evidence of the last two games. We may have just one point to show for it but there are a few reasons to be optimistic."
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
While I often defend manager Arsene Wenger when others don't, he really needs to pull his finger out and be a bit more active before the close of the transfer window. We are crying out for a world class striker. There are not too many available as the reality is, even with a big bid, some clubs may be reluctant to sell, especially without having found replacements first. But Wenger should still try and push these clubs all the way and see if maybe, just maybe, he can pull off a big striker purchase. It would certainly make one hell of a difference. Things do need to improve but at least we got the right result at Newcastle.
The draw for this year's Champions League group stages was done recently, with the Gunners being pitted against former champions Bayern Munich as well as Greek side Olympiakos and Dinamo Zagreb of Croatia. There seemed to be a lot of negative reaction with some already saying we will have to settle for second place at best. Although I agree that Bayern Munich are likely to finish above us, it is also not impossible that we can spring a surprise. We are undefeated in our last two trips to face them on their own turf.
With the Champions League being an elite competition we should be relishing ties against the best sides because, after all, that is what it is all about. An easier group would've been more ideal but let's embrace any ties against European giants as you have to beat the best to have a slim chance of going far in the Champions League.
Now let's get the international break out the way, enjoy the fact Chelsea lost at home, hope we sign someone before the transfer window closes and get ready to face Stoke.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Sunday, 30 August 2015
Monday, 24 August 2015
Petr keeps Liverpool in Cech
Petr Cech produced a man of the match performance to frustrate Liverpool and earn Arsenal their first home points of the season in a goalless draw at The Emirates.
The Gunners went into the game looking for their first home points of the season, having lost to West Ham on the opening weekend. Arsene Wenger's men, who were forced into key defensive changes due to the absence of regular centre-back pairing Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker, had a goal disallowed in the first half. But it was their Merseyside opponents who enjoyed the better of the opening 45 minutes as only a string of fine saves from Cech kept them at bay.
Arsenal stepped things up a gear after the break and were the better team in the second half, but for all their attacking endeavour they just couldn't seem to find that killer instinct in front of goal. Simon Mignolet frustrated the Gunners' attack with some great saves, while Martin Skrtel was superb at the back for Liverpool and made some crucial tackles.
Getting a draw against one of our top-four rivals isn't too bad but what was very disappointing was the fact we again failed to score at the Emirates. The Gunners have failed to score in their opening two league home games for the first time since August 1979. The next home league game is a tricky clash with Stoke next month but we need to make sure we turn in a performance of the highest quality and get back among the goals in our own back yard. We certainly need to start stronger than we did against Brendan Rodgers' men.
After full-time it initially felt like two huge points dropped at home regardless of the strength of the opposition. Although the result still frustrates me somewhat it is still a hard-earned point and one not to be too disheartened by especially when considering the late changes we had to make. Mertesacker was ruled out through illness and Koscielny picked up a back injury, meaning Calum Chambers and Gabriel Paulista deputised, so it was always going to be an even bigger test for the home defence.
Liverpool started brightly and almost took an early lead, only for Philippe Coutinho's effort to crash against the underside of the bar. That appeared to wake the hosts up and Arsenal nearly broke the deadlock soon after but Aaron Ramsey's effort was ruled out for offside. It was a very difficult call for referee Michael Oliver to make. From the replays Skrtel does appear to play the Welsh midfielder onside but it didn't really change the game too much as both sides continued to battle hard.
Cech produced a superb point-blank save to deny Christian Benteke from close range before tipping Coutinho's curling strike onto a post to keep the scores goalless going in at the break.
Arsenal came out with a lot more purpose after the interval and showed a lot more hunger and desire to push forward. Each time they lost the ball in the second half the Gunners worked tirelessly to quickly win it back. Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey refused to give up and put in a decent shift for the hosts, but once again Arsenal were unable to convert their chances. It would be harsh to be too hard on Olivier Giroud, who was making his 100th Premier League appearance for the club, but this game once again highlighted our need to go out and buy a top class centre forward.
Giroud did however almost set up the opening goal when he played in Alexis Sanchez, but the Chilean's strike crashed against a post from a narrow angle. The Frenchman nearly got himself on the scoresheet 20 minutes from time but Mignolet was equal to his effort and turned it behind for a corner.
Arsenal continued to push forward in the closing stages but substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sent a shot wide. Gabriel, who defended superbly to deny Alberto Moreno moments earlier, then headed over the bar.
OPPOSITION'S VIEW
Liverpool fan Darren Warburton was happy to see his side take a point and felt that a draw was a fair result for both sides. He said: "Arsenal came out the blocks extremely slow, with Coutinho hitting the bar after two minutes. Liverpool's midfield three dominated and bossed the midfield, which made it hard for Arsenal to breakdown the Liverpool back line.
"Arsenal had a goal harshly ruled out for offside, but that was a very rare attack. Coutinho also hit the woodwork with a tremendous piece of skill.
"Cech was outstanding and made up for his first home game errors (against West Ham).
"Second half, as assumed, Arsenal were much better. Liverpool were playing more on the counter and played well defensively. Mignolet this time making great saves and showing his improvement since last season.
"Overall a draw was a fair result and a great start to the season for Liverpool. Both teams will challenge the top four, but I'm not sure if either team has enough to challenge for the title."
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
Four points from the opening three games. It could be worse but it is far from ideal. After defeat to West Ham, I was expecting a better result in this second clash at home against Liverpool. The enforced defensive changes made it more difficult for us but I thought the back four mainly did okay. We worked tirelessly and it would be somewhat harsh to fault the players' efforts, especially those in midfield. Although I don't want to single out Giroud, as he didn't get too many chances, we really are crying out for a striker who can guarantee us 25-30 goals a season and this match proved that. On reflection a point isn't too bad but we are going to need to do a lot better if we are to get back to winning ways at home and, more importantly, prove to the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City we can challenge them. Whether or not we can remains to be seen. It could be another case of 'same old Arsenal' or maybe we can do something that little bit different, but we need to do something before the transfer window closes on September 1st. Let's focus on bolstering the ranks and making sure we get maximum points when we travel to Newcastle for our next league encounter.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
The Gunners went into the game looking for their first home points of the season, having lost to West Ham on the opening weekend. Arsene Wenger's men, who were forced into key defensive changes due to the absence of regular centre-back pairing Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker, had a goal disallowed in the first half. But it was their Merseyside opponents who enjoyed the better of the opening 45 minutes as only a string of fine saves from Cech kept them at bay.
Arsenal stepped things up a gear after the break and were the better team in the second half, but for all their attacking endeavour they just couldn't seem to find that killer instinct in front of goal. Simon Mignolet frustrated the Gunners' attack with some great saves, while Martin Skrtel was superb at the back for Liverpool and made some crucial tackles.
Getting a draw against one of our top-four rivals isn't too bad but what was very disappointing was the fact we again failed to score at the Emirates. The Gunners have failed to score in their opening two league home games for the first time since August 1979. The next home league game is a tricky clash with Stoke next month but we need to make sure we turn in a performance of the highest quality and get back among the goals in our own back yard. We certainly need to start stronger than we did against Brendan Rodgers' men.
After full-time it initially felt like two huge points dropped at home regardless of the strength of the opposition. Although the result still frustrates me somewhat it is still a hard-earned point and one not to be too disheartened by especially when considering the late changes we had to make. Mertesacker was ruled out through illness and Koscielny picked up a back injury, meaning Calum Chambers and Gabriel Paulista deputised, so it was always going to be an even bigger test for the home defence.
Liverpool started brightly and almost took an early lead, only for Philippe Coutinho's effort to crash against the underside of the bar. That appeared to wake the hosts up and Arsenal nearly broke the deadlock soon after but Aaron Ramsey's effort was ruled out for offside. It was a very difficult call for referee Michael Oliver to make. From the replays Skrtel does appear to play the Welsh midfielder onside but it didn't really change the game too much as both sides continued to battle hard.
Cech produced a superb point-blank save to deny Christian Benteke from close range before tipping Coutinho's curling strike onto a post to keep the scores goalless going in at the break.
Arsenal came out with a lot more purpose after the interval and showed a lot more hunger and desire to push forward. Each time they lost the ball in the second half the Gunners worked tirelessly to quickly win it back. Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey refused to give up and put in a decent shift for the hosts, but once again Arsenal were unable to convert their chances. It would be harsh to be too hard on Olivier Giroud, who was making his 100th Premier League appearance for the club, but this game once again highlighted our need to go out and buy a top class centre forward.
Giroud did however almost set up the opening goal when he played in Alexis Sanchez, but the Chilean's strike crashed against a post from a narrow angle. The Frenchman nearly got himself on the scoresheet 20 minutes from time but Mignolet was equal to his effort and turned it behind for a corner.
Arsenal continued to push forward in the closing stages but substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sent a shot wide. Gabriel, who defended superbly to deny Alberto Moreno moments earlier, then headed over the bar.
OPPOSITION'S VIEW
Liverpool fan Darren Warburton was happy to see his side take a point and felt that a draw was a fair result for both sides. He said: "Arsenal came out the blocks extremely slow, with Coutinho hitting the bar after two minutes. Liverpool's midfield three dominated and bossed the midfield, which made it hard for Arsenal to breakdown the Liverpool back line.
"Arsenal had a goal harshly ruled out for offside, but that was a very rare attack. Coutinho also hit the woodwork with a tremendous piece of skill.
"Cech was outstanding and made up for his first home game errors (against West Ham).
"Second half, as assumed, Arsenal were much better. Liverpool were playing more on the counter and played well defensively. Mignolet this time making great saves and showing his improvement since last season.
"Overall a draw was a fair result and a great start to the season for Liverpool. Both teams will challenge the top four, but I'm not sure if either team has enough to challenge for the title."
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
Four points from the opening three games. It could be worse but it is far from ideal. After defeat to West Ham, I was expecting a better result in this second clash at home against Liverpool. The enforced defensive changes made it more difficult for us but I thought the back four mainly did okay. We worked tirelessly and it would be somewhat harsh to fault the players' efforts, especially those in midfield. Although I don't want to single out Giroud, as he didn't get too many chances, we really are crying out for a striker who can guarantee us 25-30 goals a season and this match proved that. On reflection a point isn't too bad but we are going to need to do a lot better if we are to get back to winning ways at home and, more importantly, prove to the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City we can challenge them. Whether or not we can remains to be seen. It could be another case of 'same old Arsenal' or maybe we can do something that little bit different, but we need to do something before the transfer window closes on September 1st. Let's focus on bolstering the ranks and making sure we get maximum points when we travel to Newcastle for our next league encounter.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Sunday, 16 August 2015
Gunners back on track
Olivier Giroud scored at Crystal Palace for the third straight season as Arsenal kick-started their campaign with a 2-1 win at Selhurst Park.
Several questions had been raised following a woeful performance in a 2-0 home defeat by West Ham on the opening weekend of the season. A big response was needed from the Gunners and, although their display wasn't perfect, the visitors did what mattered most and got a positive result.
Whether we will kick on from here and have a good season remains to be seen, and I still feel we are one or two new signings short of being where we need to be. But the importance of this win cannot be underestimated. It is still too early in the season to really analyse anything but starting with two consecutive defeats really would have spelled disaster for Arsene Wenger's men.
After conceding goals against West Ham we didn't look like getting back into the game at all, but against Palace we were at least showing a lot more fight and, even after their equaliser, we were pushing to try and get another goal. This was a much-improved performance but, in all honesty, still far from perfect.
Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla impressed for the Gunners but we still seem to lack that killer instinct up front. Giroud took his goal superbly but we need to convert our chances even better if we are to compete properly with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City.
Arsenal started brightly and almost took the lead inside the opening seven minutes. The Gunners broke clear three on one, but Joel Ward was alert to the danger to block Alexis Sanchez's initial effort. The Chilean had another chance with the rebound but James McArthur cleared his effort off the line.
The visitors continued to look dangerous with Aaron Ramsey testing Palace goalkeeper Alex McCarthy from long range before Sanchez saw his effort blocked by the defence soon after. At the other end Yohan Cabaye shot straight at Petr Cech.
Arsenal finally got the reward for their dominance through Giroud's acrobatic goal after 16 minutes. Sanchez found Mesut Ozil, who crossed the ball for the French international to score with a scissor kick into the bottom corner. Giroud's goal meant he had scored at Palace for a third straight season.
The Gunners nearly extended their lead but Sanchez's effort was well parried by McCarthy. That miss proved costly for the visitors as Palace levelled the scores after 28 minutes. Yannick Bolasie chested the ball back to McArthur, who set up Ward to fire a shot low into the net. It was against the run of play but it didn't stop me thinking maybe it wasn't actually going to be our day.
Arsenal continued to have the better of the chances in the first half, with Santi Cazorla and Giroud shooting off target before Ramsey's strike was saved by McCarthy.
Francis Coquelin could maybe have counted himself lucky to still be on the field in the closing stages of the first half. The first yellow was debatable but he was very lucky not to be given a second one following a careless challenge as the scores remained level going in at the break.
Palace almost took a shock lead within four minutes of the restart when Connor Wickham, who was making his home debut, raced into the box to meet a superb cross from Wilfried Zaha. But, fortunately for the visitors, Wickham smashed his effort against a post.
Arsenal took advantage of that miss and regained their lead six minutes later. Hector Bellerin, who returned to the side following injury, whipped in a cross and Sanchez leapt brilliantly to head the ball goalwards via a deflection from Delaney. Not only did the goal fill me with a sense of joy and relief, but I also had the added bonus of Sanchez being my Fantasy Football captain. That was then tainted slightly when it was credited as an own goal, but what an important goal in what was turning out to be a nervy contest.
Palace tried to respond to the setback as Jason Puncheon chested the ball down before firing a low shot straight into the arms of Cech. The home supporters were then calling for Coquelin to be sent off following his tangle with McArthur but, fortunately for the Gunners, he was let off with a warning. It was no surprise to see him replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain soon after. I still rate Coquelin highly and still think he has great potential, but his start to the season has so far failed to match his impressive form from the last campaign.
Arsenal continued to try and search for a third goal but Ramsey sent a half-volley over the bar before Oxlade-Chamberlain's effort was superbly blocked by Delaney soon after. At the other end, Wickham sent a shot wide, reminding their opponents that the game was far from over.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta came off the bench to make his first Premier League appearance since November. The Spanish midfielder made a key contribution in the closing minutes of the game as he recovered superbly well to make a last-ditch tackle to deny Lee Chung-Yong in the box. From the resulting corner, Ward sent his header straight at Cech.
Arsenal ended the game with a flurry, with Cazorla and Oxlade-Chamberlain both forcing saves from McCarthy, as the Gunners held on to record their third successive 2-1 win against the Eagles.
OPPOSITION'S VIEW
Palace fan James Chick believes Coquelin should have been given his marching orders and he doesn't appear to rate him very highly either. He said: "The game went pretty much the way I expected and I think Palace played well.
"My observations are that Coquelin should have been sent off but also that he's not a particularly good midfielder. There is no way Arsenal will challenge for the title with him starting in midfield. Wenger should be looking at buying a better version of him. (Laurent) Koscielny and Ozil were Arsenal's two strongest players for me."
Chick also believes his side will recover from this set-back to achieve a respectable league position, although he didn't agree with all of Alan Pardew's team selection. He added: "Bolasie for (Jordan) Mutch was a strange decision and (Lee) Chungy was an unusual sub over (Patrick) Bamford. In hindsight we should have started (Glenn) Murray but the logic of starting Wickham was sound enough. We still miss (Julian) Speroni and his return cannot come sooner.
"Based on this game and the Norwich game, I am confident we can stay mid-table."
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
I fully agree with Chick that Palace can achieve a mid-table position as they have bought wisely and are a tough side to break down. But for Arsenal this match was more about the result than anything else. A superb performance would have been a bonus but we had to make sure, above all else, that we didn't fall to another defeat after what happened against West Ham the week before. Hopefully it can be a turning point and allow us to turn this into a positive season. One thing is for sure though. We must produce a far better performance when we host Liverpool in our next league match. A win in that game and maybe, just maybe, this could be a good season for us. But if we lose, we will be hearing a lot of people saying 'same old Arsenal'. The players need to up their game and make sure this doesn't happen, so here's hoping for a superb performance against Brendan Rodgers' men.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Several questions had been raised following a woeful performance in a 2-0 home defeat by West Ham on the opening weekend of the season. A big response was needed from the Gunners and, although their display wasn't perfect, the visitors did what mattered most and got a positive result.
Whether we will kick on from here and have a good season remains to be seen, and I still feel we are one or two new signings short of being where we need to be. But the importance of this win cannot be underestimated. It is still too early in the season to really analyse anything but starting with two consecutive defeats really would have spelled disaster for Arsene Wenger's men.
After conceding goals against West Ham we didn't look like getting back into the game at all, but against Palace we were at least showing a lot more fight and, even after their equaliser, we were pushing to try and get another goal. This was a much-improved performance but, in all honesty, still far from perfect.
Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla impressed for the Gunners but we still seem to lack that killer instinct up front. Giroud took his goal superbly but we need to convert our chances even better if we are to compete properly with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City.
Arsenal started brightly and almost took the lead inside the opening seven minutes. The Gunners broke clear three on one, but Joel Ward was alert to the danger to block Alexis Sanchez's initial effort. The Chilean had another chance with the rebound but James McArthur cleared his effort off the line.
The visitors continued to look dangerous with Aaron Ramsey testing Palace goalkeeper Alex McCarthy from long range before Sanchez saw his effort blocked by the defence soon after. At the other end Yohan Cabaye shot straight at Petr Cech.
Arsenal finally got the reward for their dominance through Giroud's acrobatic goal after 16 minutes. Sanchez found Mesut Ozil, who crossed the ball for the French international to score with a scissor kick into the bottom corner. Giroud's goal meant he had scored at Palace for a third straight season.
The Gunners nearly extended their lead but Sanchez's effort was well parried by McCarthy. That miss proved costly for the visitors as Palace levelled the scores after 28 minutes. Yannick Bolasie chested the ball back to McArthur, who set up Ward to fire a shot low into the net. It was against the run of play but it didn't stop me thinking maybe it wasn't actually going to be our day.
Arsenal continued to have the better of the chances in the first half, with Santi Cazorla and Giroud shooting off target before Ramsey's strike was saved by McCarthy.
Francis Coquelin could maybe have counted himself lucky to still be on the field in the closing stages of the first half. The first yellow was debatable but he was very lucky not to be given a second one following a careless challenge as the scores remained level going in at the break.
Palace almost took a shock lead within four minutes of the restart when Connor Wickham, who was making his home debut, raced into the box to meet a superb cross from Wilfried Zaha. But, fortunately for the visitors, Wickham smashed his effort against a post.
Arsenal took advantage of that miss and regained their lead six minutes later. Hector Bellerin, who returned to the side following injury, whipped in a cross and Sanchez leapt brilliantly to head the ball goalwards via a deflection from Delaney. Not only did the goal fill me with a sense of joy and relief, but I also had the added bonus of Sanchez being my Fantasy Football captain. That was then tainted slightly when it was credited as an own goal, but what an important goal in what was turning out to be a nervy contest.
Palace tried to respond to the setback as Jason Puncheon chested the ball down before firing a low shot straight into the arms of Cech. The home supporters were then calling for Coquelin to be sent off following his tangle with McArthur but, fortunately for the Gunners, he was let off with a warning. It was no surprise to see him replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain soon after. I still rate Coquelin highly and still think he has great potential, but his start to the season has so far failed to match his impressive form from the last campaign.
Arsenal continued to try and search for a third goal but Ramsey sent a half-volley over the bar before Oxlade-Chamberlain's effort was superbly blocked by Delaney soon after. At the other end, Wickham sent a shot wide, reminding their opponents that the game was far from over.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta came off the bench to make his first Premier League appearance since November. The Spanish midfielder made a key contribution in the closing minutes of the game as he recovered superbly well to make a last-ditch tackle to deny Lee Chung-Yong in the box. From the resulting corner, Ward sent his header straight at Cech.
Arsenal ended the game with a flurry, with Cazorla and Oxlade-Chamberlain both forcing saves from McCarthy, as the Gunners held on to record their third successive 2-1 win against the Eagles.
OPPOSITION'S VIEW
Palace fan James Chick believes Coquelin should have been given his marching orders and he doesn't appear to rate him very highly either. He said: "The game went pretty much the way I expected and I think Palace played well.
"My observations are that Coquelin should have been sent off but also that he's not a particularly good midfielder. There is no way Arsenal will challenge for the title with him starting in midfield. Wenger should be looking at buying a better version of him. (Laurent) Koscielny and Ozil were Arsenal's two strongest players for me."
Chick also believes his side will recover from this set-back to achieve a respectable league position, although he didn't agree with all of Alan Pardew's team selection. He added: "Bolasie for (Jordan) Mutch was a strange decision and (Lee) Chungy was an unusual sub over (Patrick) Bamford. In hindsight we should have started (Glenn) Murray but the logic of starting Wickham was sound enough. We still miss (Julian) Speroni and his return cannot come sooner.
"Based on this game and the Norwich game, I am confident we can stay mid-table."
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
I fully agree with Chick that Palace can achieve a mid-table position as they have bought wisely and are a tough side to break down. But for Arsenal this match was more about the result than anything else. A superb performance would have been a bonus but we had to make sure, above all else, that we didn't fall to another defeat after what happened against West Ham the week before. Hopefully it can be a turning point and allow us to turn this into a positive season. One thing is for sure though. We must produce a far better performance when we host Liverpool in our next league match. A win in that game and maybe, just maybe, this could be a good season for us. But if we lose, we will be hearing a lot of people saying 'same old Arsenal'. The players need to up their game and make sure this doesn't happen, so here's hoping for a superb performance against Brendan Rodgers' men.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Sunday, 9 August 2015
Hammer blow for Gunners
Petr Cech had a league debut to forget as Arsenal suffered a 2-0 home defeat at the hand of local rivals West Ham on the opening weekend of the new season.
The veteran goalkeeper, who has over 300 Premier League appearances to his name, looked to have instilled a more calming influence into the Gunners back line, especially after helping them to lift the Community Shield with victory over former club Chelsea. But it didn't go according to plan against the Hammers and Cech should've done more to prevent the goals from Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro Zarate on his league debut.
Arsenal played nothing like they had the week before against Chelsea and were very poor for most of the game at the Emirates. What disappointed me most is that we didn't even show much fight to try and get back in the game. We had most of the possession and over 20 shots at goal yet we didn't force Adrian into too many difficult saves. Huge improvements are certainly needed for the next match away at Crystal Palace. Take nothing away from the visitors though, West Ham fully deserved to win their first league match under new boss Slaven Bilic. 16-year-old Reece Oxford made his Premier League debut for the visitors and his impressive battling performance matched that of his team-mates, to leave the Gunners frustrated.
Neither side created too much in the opening quarter, with Laurent Koscielny heading over for the hosts before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain saw his volley go just wide of the top corner.
West Ham continued to frustrate Arsenal and their defence deserve a lot of credit for an excellent performance. Angelo Ogbonna, who joined the Hammers from Juventus over the summer, did superbly well to block Olivier Giroud's volley and the hosts were finding it very difficult to break down their opponents.
As the match approached the half hour mark Cazorla sent a volley just over before Aaron Ramsey's deflected strike hit the crossbar. Ramsey sent his next effort just wide, while Adrian had to react quickly to deny Giroud with an excellent save, although it was soon pulled back for offside.
Arsenal's wastefulness in front of goal came back to haunt them as West Ham opened the scoring two minutes before the break. Kouayte beat Cech to the ball and headed home Dimitri Payet's free-kick.
The Gunners nearly found a response before half-time Mesut Ozil's effort was well blocked by Hammers' defender James Tomkins.
Arsenal continued to have more of the chances in the second half but still couldn't make them count. Giroud turned and shot into the side netting before seeing his deflected strike saved by Adrian soon after.
If the Gunners are to have any chance of mounting a more serious challenge for the Premier League title this time around they need to do far better at converting their chances. Over 20 shots on target and with no goals to show for it simply isn't good enough and the Hammers made them pay.
Bilic's men doubled their advantage after 57 minutes after the Arsenal defence failed to clear the ball on the edge of the box, allowing Zarate to wrong-foot Cech and fire a shot into the bottom corner. Cech should've done better in getting to the ball in what was turning into a nightmare league debut for the 33-year-old.
Alexis Sanchez, who only returned to training recently and was a surprise inclusion among the substitutes, came off the bench after 67 minutes as Arsene Wenger attempted to salvage something from the game. The Chilean worked hard as always and tried to help his side's case but there just weren't enough players stepping up to the plate to help in what was a dire display.
There was a break in play going into the final quarter of the match following a clash of heads between Giroud and Tomkins, but fortunately both players were able to continue. In previous seasons, if we were 2-0 down with 15 minutes left, I would believe that one goal could totally change the game and that things could still turn around for the better. But on this occasion my usual optimism wasn't there and I was already sensing it was game over, thus highlighting just how poor we were on the day.
We continued to try, but failed, to get back into the game with Oxlade-Chamberlain smashing a shot into the side netting before Cazorla forced Adrian into a fine diving save. It was an excellent save but we should've tested Adrian on a lot more occasions prior to this and not just simply in the closing stages of the game.
At least Sanchez seemed to be trying to rescue the game as he forced two further late saves from Adrian, but on the whole it was a very poor team performance from the Gunners.
OPPOSITION'S VIEW
Hammers' fan Paul Silver was pleasantly surprised by his side’s performance and he said: "Going into this game, I wasn't in the least confident or hopeful we'd end the streak and win away at the Gooners.
"After a questionable pre-season, in which our strongest side or formation was unestablished, I carried little hope. Seeing us line up with Noble and Kouyate seemingly trying to provide the width in a diamond 4-4-2 I wondered where our attacking threat would come from. However, fears were soon allayed when I saw us start with verve and vigour, playing a high pressing game with plenty of tempo and aggression.
"The scoreline somewhat flattered us in the end, and admittedly we were spending the last 20 minutes sitting deep defending for our lives, but we were deserving of the three points I feel. I've much reason to be feeling a little optimistic that Bilic will banish the Allardyce blues and negativity and bring some pride back to the Boleyn."
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
For West Ham this was a great start to the season and something positive to build on, while Arsenal supporters were left with the familiar sinking feeling we have experienced in recent league campaigns. We can't simply blame Cech though. Yes he made some errors but he is still a class goalkeeper. None of the players on the pitch particularly impressed against the Hammers and all of them, along with the manager, should shoulder the blame equally. I am desperately hoping that this was simply a bad day at the office, but we will have to put in a far better performance if we are to bounce back at Crystal Palace in our next match.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
The veteran goalkeeper, who has over 300 Premier League appearances to his name, looked to have instilled a more calming influence into the Gunners back line, especially after helping them to lift the Community Shield with victory over former club Chelsea. But it didn't go according to plan against the Hammers and Cech should've done more to prevent the goals from Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro Zarate on his league debut.
Arsenal played nothing like they had the week before against Chelsea and were very poor for most of the game at the Emirates. What disappointed me most is that we didn't even show much fight to try and get back in the game. We had most of the possession and over 20 shots at goal yet we didn't force Adrian into too many difficult saves. Huge improvements are certainly needed for the next match away at Crystal Palace. Take nothing away from the visitors though, West Ham fully deserved to win their first league match under new boss Slaven Bilic. 16-year-old Reece Oxford made his Premier League debut for the visitors and his impressive battling performance matched that of his team-mates, to leave the Gunners frustrated.
Neither side created too much in the opening quarter, with Laurent Koscielny heading over for the hosts before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain saw his volley go just wide of the top corner.
West Ham continued to frustrate Arsenal and their defence deserve a lot of credit for an excellent performance. Angelo Ogbonna, who joined the Hammers from Juventus over the summer, did superbly well to block Olivier Giroud's volley and the hosts were finding it very difficult to break down their opponents.
As the match approached the half hour mark Cazorla sent a volley just over before Aaron Ramsey's deflected strike hit the crossbar. Ramsey sent his next effort just wide, while Adrian had to react quickly to deny Giroud with an excellent save, although it was soon pulled back for offside.
Arsenal's wastefulness in front of goal came back to haunt them as West Ham opened the scoring two minutes before the break. Kouayte beat Cech to the ball and headed home Dimitri Payet's free-kick.
The Gunners nearly found a response before half-time Mesut Ozil's effort was well blocked by Hammers' defender James Tomkins.
Arsenal continued to have more of the chances in the second half but still couldn't make them count. Giroud turned and shot into the side netting before seeing his deflected strike saved by Adrian soon after.
If the Gunners are to have any chance of mounting a more serious challenge for the Premier League title this time around they need to do far better at converting their chances. Over 20 shots on target and with no goals to show for it simply isn't good enough and the Hammers made them pay.
Bilic's men doubled their advantage after 57 minutes after the Arsenal defence failed to clear the ball on the edge of the box, allowing Zarate to wrong-foot Cech and fire a shot into the bottom corner. Cech should've done better in getting to the ball in what was turning into a nightmare league debut for the 33-year-old.
Alexis Sanchez, who only returned to training recently and was a surprise inclusion among the substitutes, came off the bench after 67 minutes as Arsene Wenger attempted to salvage something from the game. The Chilean worked hard as always and tried to help his side's case but there just weren't enough players stepping up to the plate to help in what was a dire display.
There was a break in play going into the final quarter of the match following a clash of heads between Giroud and Tomkins, but fortunately both players were able to continue. In previous seasons, if we were 2-0 down with 15 minutes left, I would believe that one goal could totally change the game and that things could still turn around for the better. But on this occasion my usual optimism wasn't there and I was already sensing it was game over, thus highlighting just how poor we were on the day.
We continued to try, but failed, to get back into the game with Oxlade-Chamberlain smashing a shot into the side netting before Cazorla forced Adrian into a fine diving save. It was an excellent save but we should've tested Adrian on a lot more occasions prior to this and not just simply in the closing stages of the game.
At least Sanchez seemed to be trying to rescue the game as he forced two further late saves from Adrian, but on the whole it was a very poor team performance from the Gunners.
OPPOSITION'S VIEW
Hammers' fan Paul Silver was pleasantly surprised by his side’s performance and he said: "Going into this game, I wasn't in the least confident or hopeful we'd end the streak and win away at the Gooners.
"After a questionable pre-season, in which our strongest side or formation was unestablished, I carried little hope. Seeing us line up with Noble and Kouyate seemingly trying to provide the width in a diamond 4-4-2 I wondered where our attacking threat would come from. However, fears were soon allayed when I saw us start with verve and vigour, playing a high pressing game with plenty of tempo and aggression.
"The scoreline somewhat flattered us in the end, and admittedly we were spending the last 20 minutes sitting deep defending for our lives, but we were deserving of the three points I feel. I've much reason to be feeling a little optimistic that Bilic will banish the Allardyce blues and negativity and bring some pride back to the Boleyn."
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
For West Ham this was a great start to the season and something positive to build on, while Arsenal supporters were left with the familiar sinking feeling we have experienced in recent league campaigns. We can't simply blame Cech though. Yes he made some errors but he is still a class goalkeeper. None of the players on the pitch particularly impressed against the Hammers and all of them, along with the manager, should shoulder the blame equally. I am desperately hoping that this was simply a bad day at the office, but we will have to put in a far better performance if we are to bounce back at Crystal Palace in our next match.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Sunday, 2 August 2015
Ox ends Gunners' Mourinho hoodoo
Arsene Wenger finally got the better of Jose Mourinho at the 14th time of asking as his Arsenal side beat Chelsea 1-0 to lift the Community Shield for the second successive season.
It may only have been in a minor competition but the importance of the result cannot be underestimated. Obviously, I am not going to get too carried away with the win as we will need to prove ourselves as more serious Premier League title challengers first before I get too excited. But finally beating Mourinho, thanks to a goal from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, is a huge boost for the Gunners and one the players can hopefully take into this season.
When we play Chelsea in the league next month the players should be able to go into the game with the mentality 'we have beaten this team and can beat them again'. I still believe Mourinho firmly has the upper hand in the battle between the two managers but the 'Special One' did look somewhat rattled following the full-time whistle at Wembley. He was clearly disappointed to lose the game and this was evident just from watching his reactions on the sidelines. He even said before the game that he saw the Community Shield as more than a friendly and clearly took the game seriously but, whether or not the result will have a big impact on the upcoming title race remains to be seen.
Arsenal will have to be more consistent with their performances throughout the whole campaign and I still believe we need another addition or two, especially up front but the signs were certainly encouraging. The performance and result will undoubtedly bolster the self-belief within the squad ahead of the upcoming Premier League opener against West Ham.
The only major signing to date this summer is goalkeeper Petr Cech, who made his competitive debut against his former club. Cech didn't have too much to do at Wembley but his calming presence between the sticks helped his new side hold on for a more than deserved victory.
Francis Coquelin impressed once again while Hector Bellerin kept Chelsea's star man Eden Hazard quiet for most of the derby clash in the capital. But it was Oxlade-Chamberlain who stole the headlines with his man-of-the-match display.
The England international scored the only goal of the game after 24 minutes when he cut inside César Azpilicueta before firing a powerful strike beyond Thibaut Courtois in the Chelsea goal.
Chelsea tried to find an equaliser before half-time but Ramires curled an effort wide of goal before sending a close-range header over the crossbar.
Mourinho's men spurned further chances to get back into the game and Eden Hazard really should've done better with his effort around the hour mark. Cesc Fabregas's expertly-timed pass released Hazard in the box but the Belgian blazed his effort over the bar.
Substitute Oscar also tried his luck from a free-kick but Cech did superbly to push away the Brazilian's effort and deny his former club an equaliser.
Arsenal should've added to their lead in the closing stages but Santi Cazorla's close-range effort was blocked by Courtois before Aaron Ramsey saw his rebound deflected just wide of a post.
It mattered little as Arsenal were able to hold on for the victory, ensuring Wenger's men lifted silverware at Wembley for the second time in four months.
It is hard to read too much into the match as Chelsea will no doubt take things up another level when the Premier League and Champions League start again. But finally ending the losing streak against Mourinho will still do the Gunners, who added the Community Shield to two pre-season tournament trophies, the power of good.
It looks like Arsenal can finally start a campaign full of confidence and with very few injuries compared to normal but I don't want to speak too soon just in case. It is going to be a long and difficult season and who knows where we are going to end up, but at least signs are encouraging at the moment.
If we can add another player or two over the next week or so then I'll feel more confident about our chances. I still think Chelsea are the clear favourites for the Premier League title but we can't totally write ourselves off either. Let's wait and see what happens.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
It may only have been in a minor competition but the importance of the result cannot be underestimated. Obviously, I am not going to get too carried away with the win as we will need to prove ourselves as more serious Premier League title challengers first before I get too excited. But finally beating Mourinho, thanks to a goal from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, is a huge boost for the Gunners and one the players can hopefully take into this season.
When we play Chelsea in the league next month the players should be able to go into the game with the mentality 'we have beaten this team and can beat them again'. I still believe Mourinho firmly has the upper hand in the battle between the two managers but the 'Special One' did look somewhat rattled following the full-time whistle at Wembley. He was clearly disappointed to lose the game and this was evident just from watching his reactions on the sidelines. He even said before the game that he saw the Community Shield as more than a friendly and clearly took the game seriously but, whether or not the result will have a big impact on the upcoming title race remains to be seen.
Arsenal will have to be more consistent with their performances throughout the whole campaign and I still believe we need another addition or two, especially up front but the signs were certainly encouraging. The performance and result will undoubtedly bolster the self-belief within the squad ahead of the upcoming Premier League opener against West Ham.
The only major signing to date this summer is goalkeeper Petr Cech, who made his competitive debut against his former club. Cech didn't have too much to do at Wembley but his calming presence between the sticks helped his new side hold on for a more than deserved victory.
Francis Coquelin impressed once again while Hector Bellerin kept Chelsea's star man Eden Hazard quiet for most of the derby clash in the capital. But it was Oxlade-Chamberlain who stole the headlines with his man-of-the-match display.
The England international scored the only goal of the game after 24 minutes when he cut inside César Azpilicueta before firing a powerful strike beyond Thibaut Courtois in the Chelsea goal.
Chelsea tried to find an equaliser before half-time but Ramires curled an effort wide of goal before sending a close-range header over the crossbar.
Mourinho's men spurned further chances to get back into the game and Eden Hazard really should've done better with his effort around the hour mark. Cesc Fabregas's expertly-timed pass released Hazard in the box but the Belgian blazed his effort over the bar.
Substitute Oscar also tried his luck from a free-kick but Cech did superbly to push away the Brazilian's effort and deny his former club an equaliser.
Arsenal should've added to their lead in the closing stages but Santi Cazorla's close-range effort was blocked by Courtois before Aaron Ramsey saw his rebound deflected just wide of a post.
It mattered little as Arsenal were able to hold on for the victory, ensuring Wenger's men lifted silverware at Wembley for the second time in four months.
It is hard to read too much into the match as Chelsea will no doubt take things up another level when the Premier League and Champions League start again. But finally ending the losing streak against Mourinho will still do the Gunners, who added the Community Shield to two pre-season tournament trophies, the power of good.
It looks like Arsenal can finally start a campaign full of confidence and with very few injuries compared to normal but I don't want to speak too soon just in case. It is going to be a long and difficult season and who knows where we are going to end up, but at least signs are encouraging at the moment.
If we can add another player or two over the next week or so then I'll feel more confident about our chances. I still think Chelsea are the clear favourites for the Premier League title but we can't totally write ourselves off either. Let's wait and see what happens.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
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