Arsenal shipped in three goals as their Champions League nightmare continued with a shock 3-2 home defeat by Olympiacos.
After losing away at Dinamo Zagreb in their opening Group F fixture and, with European giants Bayern Munich also among their opponents, it meant that there was no margin for error against Olympiacos.
That no margin for error turned into one big error and, although it is still early days in this season's Champions League, the Gunners already face a mammoth task to resurrect their European journey. If Arsene Wenger's men are to qualify for the knock-out stages they will need to get something out of the double header against Bayern Munich, who beat Dinamo Zagreb 5-0, which will be easier said than done.
Arsenal can take slight hope from the fact they have got positive results against the German giants before but, equally, they have also had some poor games. The Gunners will have to make sure they hit top form in both games against Bayern to stand any chance of qualifying for the knock-out stages.
Some fans will undoubtedly have had genuine hope that this week could have been a turning point. We had the chance to get our Champions League campaign back on track and, if we beat Manchester United in our next league match, we could move level with the leaders in the Premier League. Well, we have already mucked up half of that so we must pray that the players put in a drastically different and improved performance against United to ensure this doesn't turn into a horror week.
The defeat to Olympiacos really did leave me not knowing what to think. At parts in the game, despite the fact we were poor for large spells, I had the belief that we could turn it around especially after equalising twice. But by the end I was left with an all-too familiar feeling of 'oh no not again'.
The Greek side took a surprise lead after 32 minutes when Felipe Pardo made the most of a loose ball before shooting past David Ospina, via a deflection off Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Arsenal responded swiftly as Theo Walcott levelled the scores just three minutes later, giving the fans hope that maybe Olympiacos' opener had been merely a blip. The England forward made a great run to connect with Alexis Sanchez's through ball before beating Roberto with a low shot. It was the first time in his career that Walcott had scored in back-to-back Champions League game.
An Ospina howler put Olympiacos back in the driving seat five minutes before the break. The Colombian shot-stopper, who was given some much-needed game time in place of the rested Petr Cech, collected a corner before somehow letting it through his hands to bounce just over the line. Ospina then tried to gather the ball but the official behind the goal deemed it had crossed the line and the goal was given.
Arsenal should've equalised just after the hour mark but substitute Per Mertesacker's effort was saved by Roberto, before Santi Cazorla's follow-up shot was headed clear off the line. Cazorla tried his luck again soon after but Roberto denied the Spanish midfielder with a great save.
The Gunners finally made their pressure count as Alexis Sanchez headed in from Walcott's cross after 67 minutes. But less than a minute later Olympiacos responded with the winning goal to leave the hosts without a point so far in their Champions League campaign. Substitute Alfred Finnbogason got on the end of Pardo's cross to poke home from close range and send the visiting fans into raptures.
Arsenal's performance was very below par by their standards but they still could've stolen something from the game had Roberto not made further key saves. With 14 minutes remaining Mesut Ozil bent a free-kick over the wall but Roberto superbly parried the German's effort before Oxlade-Chamberlain made a mess of the rebound.
Sanchez saw his header deflected wide before Roberto was again called into action to tip Cazorla's curling free-kick over the bar. The chances continued to come and go for Arsenal in the closing stages with Mertesacker's header being comfortably saved by Roberto before Oxlade-Chamberlain shot wide deep into stoppage time.
The Gunners were unable to find that all-important equaliser to leave their Champions League dream hanging by a thread.
THE OPPONENTS
No disrespect to Olympiacos but that is not a game we should be losing, especially with having home advantage, so the result is unacceptable and one that will undoubtedly come in for a lot of criticism.
I thought that the surprise defeat away at Dinamo Zagreb would've acted like a wake up call. We all know that getting points from the double-header against Bayern Munich will be incredibly difficult, so there was no way we could drop more points....yet we did! Why didn't we learn any lessons from the Zagreb defeat? Credit where credits due, I don't want to sound like I'm taking the victory away from the Greek side, they still had to do their bit to get the three points so well done to them. But we are a much better side than them and nine times out of 10 would beat them, so why on earth did we lose?
GROUP F
Bayern Munich beating Zagreb means they are more than likely, which is kind of what we expected anyway, going to top the group. The fight for second is a tough one with Olympiacos and Zagreb both on three points, with us at the bottom without any. It makes the next game against Bayern Munich even more crucial than it already was! As unlikely as it may seem to achieve it, I think we need at least four points from the double header against Bayern to give ourselves realistic hope of qualifying out of Group F.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
Ospina is already being heavily blamed by many for the defeat, along with Wenger's decision to pick him over Cech. Whilst I believe Cech should have played, I don't think that decision alone cost us the game. In fact, almost all of the players under-performed and they are all equally to blame, along with Wenger, and they all need to take a long hard look at themselves. Wenger will once again come into question and, although I don't believe it is yet time for a change in manager, it is hard to defend him or most of the players after this defeat. There is nothing to hide behind this time, we were simply not good enough!
One thing is for sure - we will have to be a million times better than that if we are to have any hope of beating Manchester United in our next match. A win would certainly improve our Premier League credentials but, whatever happens, it won't mask how poor we have been so far in the Champions League this season.
We must now focus on that Premier League encounter with United and the players need to make sure they give me and the rest of the Gunners' faithful a performance to be truly proud of and not another horror show.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Tuesday, 29 September 2015
Sunday, 27 September 2015
Super Sanchez Outfoxes Leicester
Following the Capital One cup victory at Tottenham, I said that I hope the game against Leicester would be the one in which Alexis Sanchez rediscovers his form and properly kick-starts his season...boy did he deliver!
The Chilean, who is in his second season with the Gunners, netted a hat-trick in between goals from Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud, while Jamie Vardy hit both goals for the opposition as Leicester lost their first league game of the season.
With the visit of leaders Manchester United looming this was the ideal result for Arsene Wenger's men and will hopefully provide the boost of confidence needed to properly kick-start their season. It may not have been the best start to the season but the Gunners are in fact just three points behind United so maybe the season could yet end up being a good one. Don't get me wrong, I am not suddenly saying we will win the title, far from it, but we are certainly in with a better shout of a possible title challenge than we had been a few weeks ago.
However, it wasn't the best of starts for Arsenal in the East Midlands as Vardy put Leicester in front after just 13 minutes. Jeffrey Schlupp forced a decent save from Petr Cech and Vardy had hit a post before the deadlock was broken. The Foxes hit Arsenal on the counter attack with Vardy latching onto Danny Drinkwater's long ball, expertly controlling it with his head before running into the box and finishing from a tight angle.
Vardy almost grabbed his second of the game when his header hit the crossbar and that miss proved costly as straight away Arsenal hit the Foxes on the counter attack. Santi Cazorla's found Walcott with a perfectly-weighted through ball and the England striker calmly rolled a shot beyond Kasper Schmeichel after 18 minutes.
Sanchez put the visitors in front with his first goal of the game after 33 minutes, although the home fans will undoubtedly have been frustrated that it wasn't pulled back for a foul by Mikel Arteta on Shinji Okazaki earlier in the move. Arsenal continued to break and Mesut Ozil set up Hector Bellerin to send in a low cross for Sanchez to fire home from close range. It was Sanchez's first goal of the season and the start of a great afternoon for the 26-year-old.
Arsenal extended their advantage after 57 minutes when Sanchez headed home from Ozil's delightful chipped pass. Sanchez then completed his hat-trick 10 minutes from time, showing a superb first touch to flick it past his man before beating Schemiechel with a fierce drive from the edge of the box.
Leicester pulled a goal back in the final minutes of the match as Vardy netted his second. Riyad Mahrez's cross found Andrej Kramaric and the substitute's effort was well saved by Cech, but Vardy was on hand to score from the rebound.
Arsenal had the final say as substitute Giroud fired home from Nacho Monreal's assist to add further gloss to the scoreline in what was a great afternoon for the Gunners.
OPPOSITION'S VIEW
Leicester fan Jack Kinsey remained upbeat despite the result and is still proud of the effort put in by his club.
"I think we started off really well, which showed in Vardy's several chances to score and near misses," said Kinsey. "Arsenal just did well at what we've been doing this season and took advantage of the counter attack and they finished well.
"I don't think the Leicester boys should be ashamed as it's not as if it was a 5-0 romping.
"They just need to get focussed on the Norwich game and hopefully it will only be Arsenal to get the win over us."
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
It was a truly brilliant win for the Gunners and to score five away to a team who, before kick-off, were the only unbeaten side in the Premier League this season is a great achievement. But we cannot get carried away and must not get complacent. It is clear that the next league match at home to Manchester United will be an entirely different challenge and, with Louis Van Gaal's men at the top of the table, we will have to be at our best to get a result.
Before we can even start thinking about Manchester United, we must turn our attentions to the Champions League clash with Olympiakos. After the horror start to our European campaign - an away defeat to Dinamo Zagreb - there is no margin for error and if we are to give ourselves the best chance of qualifying out of the group stages we must get a victory against our Greek opponents. Nothing other than a win will do! Here's hoping Sanchez can put on another masterclass!
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
The Chilean, who is in his second season with the Gunners, netted a hat-trick in between goals from Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud, while Jamie Vardy hit both goals for the opposition as Leicester lost their first league game of the season.
With the visit of leaders Manchester United looming this was the ideal result for Arsene Wenger's men and will hopefully provide the boost of confidence needed to properly kick-start their season. It may not have been the best start to the season but the Gunners are in fact just three points behind United so maybe the season could yet end up being a good one. Don't get me wrong, I am not suddenly saying we will win the title, far from it, but we are certainly in with a better shout of a possible title challenge than we had been a few weeks ago.
However, it wasn't the best of starts for Arsenal in the East Midlands as Vardy put Leicester in front after just 13 minutes. Jeffrey Schlupp forced a decent save from Petr Cech and Vardy had hit a post before the deadlock was broken. The Foxes hit Arsenal on the counter attack with Vardy latching onto Danny Drinkwater's long ball, expertly controlling it with his head before running into the box and finishing from a tight angle.
Vardy almost grabbed his second of the game when his header hit the crossbar and that miss proved costly as straight away Arsenal hit the Foxes on the counter attack. Santi Cazorla's found Walcott with a perfectly-weighted through ball and the England striker calmly rolled a shot beyond Kasper Schmeichel after 18 minutes.
Sanchez put the visitors in front with his first goal of the game after 33 minutes, although the home fans will undoubtedly have been frustrated that it wasn't pulled back for a foul by Mikel Arteta on Shinji Okazaki earlier in the move. Arsenal continued to break and Mesut Ozil set up Hector Bellerin to send in a low cross for Sanchez to fire home from close range. It was Sanchez's first goal of the season and the start of a great afternoon for the 26-year-old.
Arsenal extended their advantage after 57 minutes when Sanchez headed home from Ozil's delightful chipped pass. Sanchez then completed his hat-trick 10 minutes from time, showing a superb first touch to flick it past his man before beating Schemiechel with a fierce drive from the edge of the box.
Leicester pulled a goal back in the final minutes of the match as Vardy netted his second. Riyad Mahrez's cross found Andrej Kramaric and the substitute's effort was well saved by Cech, but Vardy was on hand to score from the rebound.
Arsenal had the final say as substitute Giroud fired home from Nacho Monreal's assist to add further gloss to the scoreline in what was a great afternoon for the Gunners.
OPPOSITION'S VIEW
Leicester fan Jack Kinsey remained upbeat despite the result and is still proud of the effort put in by his club.
"I think we started off really well, which showed in Vardy's several chances to score and near misses," said Kinsey. "Arsenal just did well at what we've been doing this season and took advantage of the counter attack and they finished well.
"I don't think the Leicester boys should be ashamed as it's not as if it was a 5-0 romping.
"They just need to get focussed on the Norwich game and hopefully it will only be Arsenal to get the win over us."
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
It was a truly brilliant win for the Gunners and to score five away to a team who, before kick-off, were the only unbeaten side in the Premier League this season is a great achievement. But we cannot get carried away and must not get complacent. It is clear that the next league match at home to Manchester United will be an entirely different challenge and, with Louis Van Gaal's men at the top of the table, we will have to be at our best to get a result.
Before we can even start thinking about Manchester United, we must turn our attentions to the Champions League clash with Olympiakos. After the horror start to our European campaign - an away defeat to Dinamo Zagreb - there is no margin for error and if we are to give ourselves the best chance of qualifying out of the group stages we must get a victory against our Greek opponents. Nothing other than a win will do! Here's hoping Sanchez can put on another masterclass!
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Thursday, 24 September 2015
Magic Mathieu Ousts Spurs
Mathieu Flamini proved to be the unlikely hero as Arsenal bounced back to winning ways and dumped bitter rivals Tottenham out of the Capital One Cup with a 2-1 win at White Hart Lane.
The midfielder, who was making his first appearance of the season, netted either side of a Calum Chambers own goal and his magnificent volley was worthy of winning any game. It was the first time the Frenchman had scored two goals in a game for Arsenal and what a game to pick to do it in. Whether or not this can push Flamini on to bigger and better performances this season remains to be seen but his derby goals will certainly never be forgotten.
It was a vital victory for the Gunners, following the recent back-to-back defeats to Dinamo Zagreb and Chelsea, and it should provide them with a big confidence boost ahead of the upcoming trip to Leicester. It wasn't simply about cup progression, we badly needed a victory to stop the bad run of results and we got it.
Although the League Cup doesn't carry as big an importance as the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup it is still a competition that should be taken seriously. Arsene Wenger made 10 changes to the side that travelled to Chelsea and, although it was still a decent line-up, it left some Gunners' fans concerned.
But Wenger's men came good to set up a fourth round clash at Sheffield Wednesday, who they beat in the 1993 final. It won't be easy and the Owls should not be underestimated but, providing we don't do anything daft, we should be able to avoid any potential banana skins.
Beating Spurs was massively important for Arsenal but the match was tainted slightly by the behaviour of a section of fans after the match. Some of our own fans damaged hoardings in the upper tiers and arrests were made for a range of offences. No matter what club you support this kind of behaviour is inexcusable and it spoils the game. Fans should be there to enjoy the football and, regardless of the result, should not be causing havoc as not only does it embarrass their club but surely also embarrasses the individuals in question.
Back to the action and there were very few shots on goal in the opening 15 minutes, with an off target header from Arsenal's Joel Campbell the closest either side got to causing any real problems.
The deadlock was finally broken after 26 minutes when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's fierce drive was parried by Michel Vorm and Flamini was on hand to fire home the rebound.
Provider should have turned scorer later in the first half as Oxlade-Chamberlain intercepted the ball on halfway and raced clear. But the England international sent his curling effort wide.
At the other end, Harry Kane, who remains without a goal so far this season, dragged an effort off target to keep Arsenal in front going in at the break.
Tottenham came out for the second half with renewed belief and thought they had grabbed an equaliser within minutes of the restart. David Ospina touched Christian Eriksen's shot onto a post before Kane scored from the rebound, but the striker's effort was ruled out for offside.
Spurs thought they had grabbed an equaliser in the early stages of the second half. Ospina touched Christian Eriksen's effort onto a post before Kane scored from the rebound, but the striker's effort was ruled out for offside.
The hosts didn't let that setback deter them and they levelled matters within 11 minutes of the restart as Nacer Chadli's cross was deflected in by Chambers.
The goal clearly energised the hosts and they began to really take the game to Arsenal, with only defensive heroics stopping Spurs from taking the lead. Kane's acrobatic scissor kick looked goal-bound before Kieran Gibbs reacted quickly to head the ball off the line.
Spurs were in the driving seat at this point and continued to pressure their opponents before the Gunners took the lead out of nowhere with a stunning strike 12 minutes from time. Substitute Alexis Sanchez released Oxlade-Chamberlain, but Federico Fazio did well to get back and clear. However, the defender's attempted clearance went into the air and, with Flamini waiting, not many would've expected the outcome. When the ball came back down Flamini met it with the sweetest of volleys into the bottom corner. To be honest when I saw Flamini under the ball I thought it was such a shame that we didn't have someone else ready to hit it. But to his credit Flamini hit it sublimely and deserves all the plaudits that come his way for what was a great goal.
The game wasn't over yet and Spurs tried to find a way back into the game, in the hope of forcing extra time. Clinton Njie headed Eriksen's cross just wide soon after coming on before fellow substitute Dele Alli saw his effort comfortably saved by Ospina.
Arsenal nearly added further gloss to the scoreline in injury time but substitute Theo Walcott dragged his shot wide. It didn't matter though as the Gunners held on for a much-needed and morale boosting derby win.
OPPOSITION'S VIEW
Errors and Arsenal's experience were among the decisive factors in the defeat according to Spurs' supporters Adrian Drakes and Anthony Rayment.
"It was a very even game with many good chances missed by both sides," said Drakes. "The game was ultimately decided by two big errors (one from Vorm and the second an own goal), plus a big slice of luck. It was a huge deflection to take it across to Flamini free on the edge of the box. The goalie was stranded on the other side of the goal and Flamini hit the target. It was a good finish."
Rayment added: "It was a tight game that Tottenham may have won in a years time, but it's a young team and it seems that the extra experience of Flamini told in the end.
"Tottenham generally need to find that creative spark as at the moment we are not able to impose ourselves on a game past having good possession. Arsenal needed the result and their experience in some limited positions paid off. I think they too will exit the competition sooner rather than later."
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
Going into any derby match only one thing truly matters - the result! It was a decent performance in parts from the Gunners but in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter that it wasn't perfect as we won the game. I'm sure most fans would admit that they would take an ordinary display with a win over an amazing performance with an unlucky defeat any day. Flamini being the match hero was somewhat surprising but this was a game we couldn't afford to lose and I am obviously delighted that we have progressed through to the next round.
Spurs are our biggest rivals but I feel our next league game at Leicester could in fact be a much tougher game. The Foxes are undefeated in their opening six league games, with three wins and three draws, and currently lie in the top four. It is unlikely that they will keep this up for the whole campaign but they are certainly a team we need to be wary of.
We should win the game but there is definitely no room for complacency and we will have to be at the top of our game. I am really hoping that this can be the game that Sanchez rediscovers his form and properly kick-starts his season. We need a big team performance without any silly errors so let's make sure we produce just that.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
The midfielder, who was making his first appearance of the season, netted either side of a Calum Chambers own goal and his magnificent volley was worthy of winning any game. It was the first time the Frenchman had scored two goals in a game for Arsenal and what a game to pick to do it in. Whether or not this can push Flamini on to bigger and better performances this season remains to be seen but his derby goals will certainly never be forgotten.
It was a vital victory for the Gunners, following the recent back-to-back defeats to Dinamo Zagreb and Chelsea, and it should provide them with a big confidence boost ahead of the upcoming trip to Leicester. It wasn't simply about cup progression, we badly needed a victory to stop the bad run of results and we got it.
Although the League Cup doesn't carry as big an importance as the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup it is still a competition that should be taken seriously. Arsene Wenger made 10 changes to the side that travelled to Chelsea and, although it was still a decent line-up, it left some Gunners' fans concerned.
But Wenger's men came good to set up a fourth round clash at Sheffield Wednesday, who they beat in the 1993 final. It won't be easy and the Owls should not be underestimated but, providing we don't do anything daft, we should be able to avoid any potential banana skins.
Beating Spurs was massively important for Arsenal but the match was tainted slightly by the behaviour of a section of fans after the match. Some of our own fans damaged hoardings in the upper tiers and arrests were made for a range of offences. No matter what club you support this kind of behaviour is inexcusable and it spoils the game. Fans should be there to enjoy the football and, regardless of the result, should not be causing havoc as not only does it embarrass their club but surely also embarrasses the individuals in question.
Back to the action and there were very few shots on goal in the opening 15 minutes, with an off target header from Arsenal's Joel Campbell the closest either side got to causing any real problems.
The deadlock was finally broken after 26 minutes when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's fierce drive was parried by Michel Vorm and Flamini was on hand to fire home the rebound.
Provider should have turned scorer later in the first half as Oxlade-Chamberlain intercepted the ball on halfway and raced clear. But the England international sent his curling effort wide.
At the other end, Harry Kane, who remains without a goal so far this season, dragged an effort off target to keep Arsenal in front going in at the break.
Tottenham came out for the second half with renewed belief and thought they had grabbed an equaliser within minutes of the restart. David Ospina touched Christian Eriksen's shot onto a post before Kane scored from the rebound, but the striker's effort was ruled out for offside.
Spurs thought they had grabbed an equaliser in the early stages of the second half. Ospina touched Christian Eriksen's effort onto a post before Kane scored from the rebound, but the striker's effort was ruled out for offside.
The hosts didn't let that setback deter them and they levelled matters within 11 minutes of the restart as Nacer Chadli's cross was deflected in by Chambers.
The goal clearly energised the hosts and they began to really take the game to Arsenal, with only defensive heroics stopping Spurs from taking the lead. Kane's acrobatic scissor kick looked goal-bound before Kieran Gibbs reacted quickly to head the ball off the line.
Spurs were in the driving seat at this point and continued to pressure their opponents before the Gunners took the lead out of nowhere with a stunning strike 12 minutes from time. Substitute Alexis Sanchez released Oxlade-Chamberlain, but Federico Fazio did well to get back and clear. However, the defender's attempted clearance went into the air and, with Flamini waiting, not many would've expected the outcome. When the ball came back down Flamini met it with the sweetest of volleys into the bottom corner. To be honest when I saw Flamini under the ball I thought it was such a shame that we didn't have someone else ready to hit it. But to his credit Flamini hit it sublimely and deserves all the plaudits that come his way for what was a great goal.
The game wasn't over yet and Spurs tried to find a way back into the game, in the hope of forcing extra time. Clinton Njie headed Eriksen's cross just wide soon after coming on before fellow substitute Dele Alli saw his effort comfortably saved by Ospina.
Arsenal nearly added further gloss to the scoreline in injury time but substitute Theo Walcott dragged his shot wide. It didn't matter though as the Gunners held on for a much-needed and morale boosting derby win.
OPPOSITION'S VIEW
Errors and Arsenal's experience were among the decisive factors in the defeat according to Spurs' supporters Adrian Drakes and Anthony Rayment.
"It was a very even game with many good chances missed by both sides," said Drakes. "The game was ultimately decided by two big errors (one from Vorm and the second an own goal), plus a big slice of luck. It was a huge deflection to take it across to Flamini free on the edge of the box. The goalie was stranded on the other side of the goal and Flamini hit the target. It was a good finish."
Rayment added: "It was a tight game that Tottenham may have won in a years time, but it's a young team and it seems that the extra experience of Flamini told in the end.
"Tottenham generally need to find that creative spark as at the moment we are not able to impose ourselves on a game past having good possession. Arsenal needed the result and their experience in some limited positions paid off. I think they too will exit the competition sooner rather than later."
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
Going into any derby match only one thing truly matters - the result! It was a decent performance in parts from the Gunners but in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter that it wasn't perfect as we won the game. I'm sure most fans would admit that they would take an ordinary display with a win over an amazing performance with an unlucky defeat any day. Flamini being the match hero was somewhat surprising but this was a game we couldn't afford to lose and I am obviously delighted that we have progressed through to the next round.
Spurs are our biggest rivals but I feel our next league game at Leicester could in fact be a much tougher game. The Foxes are undefeated in their opening six league games, with three wins and three draws, and currently lie in the top four. It is unlikely that they will keep this up for the whole campaign but they are certainly a team we need to be wary of.
We should win the game but there is definitely no room for complacency and we will have to be at the top of our game. I am really hoping that this can be the game that Sanchez rediscovers his form and properly kick-starts his season. We need a big team performance without any silly errors so let's make sure we produce just that.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Monday, 21 September 2015
Gunners lose fiery derby
Arsene Wenger’s winless league run against Jose Mourinho continued after his nine-man side left Stamford Bridge on the wrong side of a 2-0 defeat.
Arsenal played some encouraging football at times during the game but their hopes were all but ended following Gabriel’s dismissal just before half-time.
A second dismissal followed in the second half when Santi Cazorla was given his marching orders either side of goals from Chelsea duo Kurt Zouma and Eden Hazard.
It could’ve been a different game had Gabriel stayed on or whether Chelsea striker Diego Costa had been dismissed moments earlier, but that doesn’t disguise the fact it was a very disappointing result for the Gunners.
It begs the question as to why Wenger cannot seem to beat Mourinho in the league? Is it because Wenger has not been active enough in the transfer market? Is Mourinho simply a better manager? Is there a mental block within the club when the two clubs meet? Or is it simply bad luck? It could be a combination of all of these but what remains certain is that our inability to beat Chelsea in the league is getting more and more frustrating after each meeting.
At the end of the weekend Arsenal are just outside the top four in 5th position, with Chelsea all the way down in 13th, but it was still the Blues who will be the happier after the result.
Former Gunner Cesc Fabregas tried his luck with a long-range strike after seven minutes but Petr Cech, on his first return to Stamford Bridge following his summer move, was equal to his effort. The goalkeeper also had to be alert to deny Costa in the first half.
Arsenal were showing no fear against their opponents but should’ve done better when Alexis Sanchez spun away from his man and dragged a shot wide.
The Gunners continued to push forward and Mesut Ozil released Theo Walcott in the box before the England striker forced a save out of Asmir Begovic in the home goal.
The moment that totally changed the complexion of the game arrived in the final minute of the half. Costa pushed Koscielny in the face before barging him to the ground soon after, but the Spanish forward’s actions were only deemed worthy of a yellow card.
Gabriel got involved in an altercation with Costa, initially causing a yellow card, but that soon turned to red after the former was accused of kicking out at the Chelsea man. Although Gabriel acted foolishly, Costa really should have, in my opinion, been sent off as well.
The second half should have resumed with both teams having the same number of players but, with Costa still on the pitch, the hosts had a clear numerical advantage.
Although Arsenal were a man down, they could have taken the lead in the early stages of the second half had Sanchez’s free-kick not deflected wide for a corner.
But it was Chelsea who broke the deadlock via the head of Zouma after 53 minutes. Fabregas’ free-kick was headed home by the unmarked French defender for his first ever Premier League goal.
Chelsea pushed for a second goal but Cech did superbly well to parry Hazard’s effort
Arsenal tried to get back into the game and had a great chance to level when a long ball from Aaron Ramsey was misjudged by Zouma and Gary Cahill, leaving Sanchez with a great chance in the box. But the Chilean failed to get enough of a connection on the ball and sent his effort harmlessly off target.
Hazard and Pedro both failed to trouble Cech to keep Arsenal in the game but the Gunners’ task got even harder when Cazorla, who had earlier been booked for a challenge on Pedro, received a second yellow for his foul on Fabregas 12 minutes from time.
Chelsea sealed all three points in stoppage time when Hazard’s strike took a hefty deflection off Calum Chambers to wrong-foot Cech.
OPPOSTION’S VIEW
Chelsea are having a mixed season but, whilst they got a great result against the Gunners, they are still down in the bottom half of the table.
Charlotte Norman, who follows her beloved Blues all the way from Australia, was pleased with the result but disappointed with the actions of Costa.
“It is great to see Chelsea slowly getting back to form. The Champions League win earlier in the week gave them the confidence boost they needed, albeit maybe a little too much for some,” said Norman.
“Costa’s actions were deplorable. He needs to focus on his football and not being a dirty player, hitting other players. Not impressed. That said, Gabriel definitely deserved a sending off. It should’ve been a penalty and a yellow for the way he handled Hazard in the box earlier.
“Apart from the red cards we deserved the win from the first-half performance alone. It was good to see the Chelsea we know and love making a comeback from that dismal start to the season. The big difference was having Oscar and Ramires starting.”
Norman paid tribute to former player Cech and was delighted to see him get a largely positive reception.
“Aside from the result, it was great to see Cech get a great reception at the Bridge regardless of him playing for a rival,” added Norman.
“Chelsea fans have the utmost respect for what he did for the club and he is a CFC legend. However, I’m definitely happy to see that we put a few past the giant!”
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
I believe that had Costa also been sent off the second half would’ve been a totally different game to the one we ended up with. Costa’s pushes on Koscielny and the subsequent barging him over warranted a dismissal but the red card never came.
Whilst this left a feeling of injustice we also can’t fully blame it for the defeat. The defending for the opening goal, albeit with a man down, was inexcusable and we should also have done better with our chances in attack.
There were positives before the red card but there seemed no way back after it. We need a big response in our next game – a trip to bitter rivals Tottenham in the League Cup. It may not be the most important of trophies but nothing other than victory will be acceptable in the derby clash.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Arsenal played some encouraging football at times during the game but their hopes were all but ended following Gabriel’s dismissal just before half-time.
A second dismissal followed in the second half when Santi Cazorla was given his marching orders either side of goals from Chelsea duo Kurt Zouma and Eden Hazard.
It could’ve been a different game had Gabriel stayed on or whether Chelsea striker Diego Costa had been dismissed moments earlier, but that doesn’t disguise the fact it was a very disappointing result for the Gunners.
It begs the question as to why Wenger cannot seem to beat Mourinho in the league? Is it because Wenger has not been active enough in the transfer market? Is Mourinho simply a better manager? Is there a mental block within the club when the two clubs meet? Or is it simply bad luck? It could be a combination of all of these but what remains certain is that our inability to beat Chelsea in the league is getting more and more frustrating after each meeting.
At the end of the weekend Arsenal are just outside the top four in 5th position, with Chelsea all the way down in 13th, but it was still the Blues who will be the happier after the result.
Former Gunner Cesc Fabregas tried his luck with a long-range strike after seven minutes but Petr Cech, on his first return to Stamford Bridge following his summer move, was equal to his effort. The goalkeeper also had to be alert to deny Costa in the first half.
Arsenal were showing no fear against their opponents but should’ve done better when Alexis Sanchez spun away from his man and dragged a shot wide.
The Gunners continued to push forward and Mesut Ozil released Theo Walcott in the box before the England striker forced a save out of Asmir Begovic in the home goal.
The moment that totally changed the complexion of the game arrived in the final minute of the half. Costa pushed Koscielny in the face before barging him to the ground soon after, but the Spanish forward’s actions were only deemed worthy of a yellow card.
Gabriel got involved in an altercation with Costa, initially causing a yellow card, but that soon turned to red after the former was accused of kicking out at the Chelsea man. Although Gabriel acted foolishly, Costa really should have, in my opinion, been sent off as well.
The second half should have resumed with both teams having the same number of players but, with Costa still on the pitch, the hosts had a clear numerical advantage.
Although Arsenal were a man down, they could have taken the lead in the early stages of the second half had Sanchez’s free-kick not deflected wide for a corner.
But it was Chelsea who broke the deadlock via the head of Zouma after 53 minutes. Fabregas’ free-kick was headed home by the unmarked French defender for his first ever Premier League goal.
Chelsea pushed for a second goal but Cech did superbly well to parry Hazard’s effort
Arsenal tried to get back into the game and had a great chance to level when a long ball from Aaron Ramsey was misjudged by Zouma and Gary Cahill, leaving Sanchez with a great chance in the box. But the Chilean failed to get enough of a connection on the ball and sent his effort harmlessly off target.
Hazard and Pedro both failed to trouble Cech to keep Arsenal in the game but the Gunners’ task got even harder when Cazorla, who had earlier been booked for a challenge on Pedro, received a second yellow for his foul on Fabregas 12 minutes from time.
Chelsea sealed all three points in stoppage time when Hazard’s strike took a hefty deflection off Calum Chambers to wrong-foot Cech.
OPPOSTION’S VIEW
Chelsea are having a mixed season but, whilst they got a great result against the Gunners, they are still down in the bottom half of the table.
Charlotte Norman, who follows her beloved Blues all the way from Australia, was pleased with the result but disappointed with the actions of Costa.
“It is great to see Chelsea slowly getting back to form. The Champions League win earlier in the week gave them the confidence boost they needed, albeit maybe a little too much for some,” said Norman.
“Costa’s actions were deplorable. He needs to focus on his football and not being a dirty player, hitting other players. Not impressed. That said, Gabriel definitely deserved a sending off. It should’ve been a penalty and a yellow for the way he handled Hazard in the box earlier.
“Apart from the red cards we deserved the win from the first-half performance alone. It was good to see the Chelsea we know and love making a comeback from that dismal start to the season. The big difference was having Oscar and Ramires starting.”
Norman paid tribute to former player Cech and was delighted to see him get a largely positive reception.
“Aside from the result, it was great to see Cech get a great reception at the Bridge regardless of him playing for a rival,” added Norman.
“Chelsea fans have the utmost respect for what he did for the club and he is a CFC legend. However, I’m definitely happy to see that we put a few past the giant!”
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
I believe that had Costa also been sent off the second half would’ve been a totally different game to the one we ended up with. Costa’s pushes on Koscielny and the subsequent barging him over warranted a dismissal but the red card never came.
Whilst this left a feeling of injustice we also can’t fully blame it for the defeat. The defending for the opening goal, albeit with a man down, was inexcusable and we should also have done better with our chances in attack.
There were positives before the red card but there seemed no way back after it. We need a big response in our next game – a trip to bitter rivals Tottenham in the League Cup. It may not be the most important of trophies but nothing other than victory will be acceptable in the derby clash.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Wednesday, 16 September 2015
Croatian nightmare for Gunners
Olivier Giroud was sent off as Arsenal made a nightmare start to their Champions League campaign with a shock 2-1 home defeat at Dinamo Zagreb.
An Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain own goal had already put the hosts in front before the Frenchman was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence before the interval.
Zagreb doubled their advantage through Junior Fernandes' second-half header before Theo Walcott pulled one back for the visitors, but it was too little too late for the English side.
Arsenal went into the game with fans expecting a positive result in a group where Bayern Munich are widely tipped to take top spot. But now even second place could prove tricky for the Gunners and they will have to show a dramatic improvement in the remaining five games of the group stages. There is still a long way to go but Arsenal certainly need to up their game after such a poor showing in Croatia.
Arsene Wenger didn't put out his strongest starting line-up but the players chosen should still have been more than capable of seeing off their opponents and it definitely cannot be used as an excuse for the bad result. We were just simply not good enough.
Arsenal, who were playing in the Champions League for the 18th consecutive season, should have made their experience count and put in a far better display than the one given to their travelling support.
The Gunners didn't actually start too badly and almost took the lead inside the opening 10 minutes, but Zagreb goalkeeper Eduardo was on hand to tip Giroud's header around a post. Giroud went close again when his deflected header hit a post before Eduardo reacted quickly to block the rebound.
The striker, who was heavily criticised for his performance against Monaco in last season's Champions League, went into the referee's notebook when he received his first yellow card of the evening for dissent.
Things went from bad to worse for the Gunners when their Croatian opponents opened the scoring after 24 minutes. Josip Pivaric's shot was well saved by David Ospina but the ball rebounded in off the unfortunate Oxlade-Chamberlain. It was a lucky goal for Zagreb but the Gunners couldn't complain too much as they hadn't exactly set the match alight either.
Arsenal's task got even harder when they were reduced to 10 men when Giroud picked up his second yellow card of the night five minutes before the break. Giroud caught Ivo Pinto and, although some pundits thought the decision was harsh, it was still a silly challenge from the forward when he knew he was already on a yellow card.
El Arabi Hilal Soudani came close to doubling Zagreb's advantage in the early stages of the second half but his header hit a post. Zagreb made no mistake after 58 minutes when Fernandes headed home Paulo Machado's corner to put the hosts in firm control.
Arsenal finally had something to cheer about when Walcott reduced the deficit to one goal 11 minutes from time. The England international latched onto an expertly-timed through ball from Alexis Sanchez before calmly slotting the ball beyond Eduardo.
Although the Gunners had been very poor on the night, you would have thought that the goal would at least spur them on to make a game of it for the final 11 minutes of the game, but it didn't. It was Zagreb, in fact, who looked more like scoring and only a smart save from Ospina denied Ante Coric a goal in stoppage time.
Zagreb held on to extend their impressive unbeaten run, while Arsenal will desperately need to recover quickly from this set-back to revive their European dream.
THE OPPONENTS
Many would have no doubt expected Arsenal to coast to victory prior to the game and maybe the Gunners will be accused of taking their opponents too lightly. I still feel this is a game we should have won and that is not me being disrespectful to the opposition either. We wasted some early opportunities to score and Giroud's sending off appeared to kill off any hopes we had of salvaging anything from the game.
There are no excuses though, we were beaten by the better team on the day and Zagreb deserve credit for this. While we shouldn't hide behind our failings on the night, our Croatian opponents should be given more credit for the job they did on us.
The result extended Dinamo Zagreb's unbeaten run to 42 games in all competitions and that achievement should not go unnoticed. I don't think Zagreb will get any points off Bayern Munich, but who knows what they will do against Olympiakos.
Although it is too early to call how the group will finish after just one game, we have certainly given ourselves an uphill struggle and really need to turn things around quickly.
GROUP F
Bayern Munich are in control of the group following their 3-0 win over Olympiakos and it would be a huge surprise if they fail to do what many are expecting and that is to win the group.
It is not impossible to get a result against them as we are unbeaten in our last two Champions League trips to face the German giants, but realistically we are playing for second place and even that isn't a guarantee.
It is very early stages for Arsenal in Group F, with five games still to play, but the Zagreb defeat means that the next game at home against Olympiakos now takes on even more importance. We already knew we would have to take as many points as possible off Zagreb and Olympiakos to stand a chance in this group and we have already dropped points to one of them. It doesn't look too good but the manager and the players need to make sure it doesn't derail our season and that we put in down to simply a bad day at the office, then regroup and recover with a huge performance in the next round of matches.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
It was a poor and inexcusable start to our Champions League campaign but let's not forget we lost our opening European fixture last season 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund and still qualified out of the group stages. All is not lost just yet but we need to show a massive improvement in the near future to improve our chances of doing anything in Europe's elite competition this year.
How we respond to this set-back will be key and it is hard to tell whether our next fixture is the ideal or worst possible one at this time.
Our next match sees us travel to champions Chelsea in the league. Chelsea have made a nightmare start in the league and some may say that now is the best time to play them. However, Jose Mourinho's men did record a 4-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv in their opening Champions League game. The Blues will be eager to get back to winning ways in the league and may well come out all guns blazing against us as another defeat for the champions would be unthinkable surely!? But the pressure is still on Chelsea and they will be the side fully expected to get a result. While Chelsea will be looking to put an end to their nightmare start in the Premier League, Arsenal will also be out to prove a point. The Gunners will want to make sure they well and truly put their horror show against Dinamo Zagreb to bed with a huge display against Chelsea. Chelsea are still the huge favourites for this game but no matter how the result ends up we must make sure we put in a performance of epic proportions and one that we can be proud of.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
An Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain own goal had already put the hosts in front before the Frenchman was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence before the interval.
Zagreb doubled their advantage through Junior Fernandes' second-half header before Theo Walcott pulled one back for the visitors, but it was too little too late for the English side.
Arsenal went into the game with fans expecting a positive result in a group where Bayern Munich are widely tipped to take top spot. But now even second place could prove tricky for the Gunners and they will have to show a dramatic improvement in the remaining five games of the group stages. There is still a long way to go but Arsenal certainly need to up their game after such a poor showing in Croatia.
Arsene Wenger didn't put out his strongest starting line-up but the players chosen should still have been more than capable of seeing off their opponents and it definitely cannot be used as an excuse for the bad result. We were just simply not good enough.
Arsenal, who were playing in the Champions League for the 18th consecutive season, should have made their experience count and put in a far better display than the one given to their travelling support.
The Gunners didn't actually start too badly and almost took the lead inside the opening 10 minutes, but Zagreb goalkeeper Eduardo was on hand to tip Giroud's header around a post. Giroud went close again when his deflected header hit a post before Eduardo reacted quickly to block the rebound.
The striker, who was heavily criticised for his performance against Monaco in last season's Champions League, went into the referee's notebook when he received his first yellow card of the evening for dissent.
Things went from bad to worse for the Gunners when their Croatian opponents opened the scoring after 24 minutes. Josip Pivaric's shot was well saved by David Ospina but the ball rebounded in off the unfortunate Oxlade-Chamberlain. It was a lucky goal for Zagreb but the Gunners couldn't complain too much as they hadn't exactly set the match alight either.
Arsenal's task got even harder when they were reduced to 10 men when Giroud picked up his second yellow card of the night five minutes before the break. Giroud caught Ivo Pinto and, although some pundits thought the decision was harsh, it was still a silly challenge from the forward when he knew he was already on a yellow card.
El Arabi Hilal Soudani came close to doubling Zagreb's advantage in the early stages of the second half but his header hit a post. Zagreb made no mistake after 58 minutes when Fernandes headed home Paulo Machado's corner to put the hosts in firm control.
Arsenal finally had something to cheer about when Walcott reduced the deficit to one goal 11 minutes from time. The England international latched onto an expertly-timed through ball from Alexis Sanchez before calmly slotting the ball beyond Eduardo.
Although the Gunners had been very poor on the night, you would have thought that the goal would at least spur them on to make a game of it for the final 11 minutes of the game, but it didn't. It was Zagreb, in fact, who looked more like scoring and only a smart save from Ospina denied Ante Coric a goal in stoppage time.
Zagreb held on to extend their impressive unbeaten run, while Arsenal will desperately need to recover quickly from this set-back to revive their European dream.
THE OPPONENTS
Many would have no doubt expected Arsenal to coast to victory prior to the game and maybe the Gunners will be accused of taking their opponents too lightly. I still feel this is a game we should have won and that is not me being disrespectful to the opposition either. We wasted some early opportunities to score and Giroud's sending off appeared to kill off any hopes we had of salvaging anything from the game.
There are no excuses though, we were beaten by the better team on the day and Zagreb deserve credit for this. While we shouldn't hide behind our failings on the night, our Croatian opponents should be given more credit for the job they did on us.
The result extended Dinamo Zagreb's unbeaten run to 42 games in all competitions and that achievement should not go unnoticed. I don't think Zagreb will get any points off Bayern Munich, but who knows what they will do against Olympiakos.
Although it is too early to call how the group will finish after just one game, we have certainly given ourselves an uphill struggle and really need to turn things around quickly.
GROUP F
Bayern Munich are in control of the group following their 3-0 win over Olympiakos and it would be a huge surprise if they fail to do what many are expecting and that is to win the group.
It is not impossible to get a result against them as we are unbeaten in our last two Champions League trips to face the German giants, but realistically we are playing for second place and even that isn't a guarantee.
It is very early stages for Arsenal in Group F, with five games still to play, but the Zagreb defeat means that the next game at home against Olympiakos now takes on even more importance. We already knew we would have to take as many points as possible off Zagreb and Olympiakos to stand a chance in this group and we have already dropped points to one of them. It doesn't look too good but the manager and the players need to make sure it doesn't derail our season and that we put in down to simply a bad day at the office, then regroup and recover with a huge performance in the next round of matches.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
It was a poor and inexcusable start to our Champions League campaign but let's not forget we lost our opening European fixture last season 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund and still qualified out of the group stages. All is not lost just yet but we need to show a massive improvement in the near future to improve our chances of doing anything in Europe's elite competition this year.
How we respond to this set-back will be key and it is hard to tell whether our next fixture is the ideal or worst possible one at this time.
Our next match sees us travel to champions Chelsea in the league. Chelsea have made a nightmare start in the league and some may say that now is the best time to play them. However, Jose Mourinho's men did record a 4-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv in their opening Champions League game. The Blues will be eager to get back to winning ways in the league and may well come out all guns blazing against us as another defeat for the champions would be unthinkable surely!? But the pressure is still on Chelsea and they will be the side fully expected to get a result. While Chelsea will be looking to put an end to their nightmare start in the Premier League, Arsenal will also be out to prove a point. The Gunners will want to make sure they well and truly put their horror show against Dinamo Zagreb to bed with a huge display against Chelsea. Chelsea are still the huge favourites for this game but no matter how the result ends up we must make sure we put in a performance of epic proportions and one that we can be proud of.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Sunday, 13 September 2015
Gunners end Emirates drought
Theo Walcott scored Arsenal's first home goal of the season as his side recorded a 2-0 win over bottom club Stoke at the Emirates.
Walcott had been wasteful earlier in the first half but made it count with a well-taken goal just after the half hour mark before Olivier Giroud's header sealed the points.
It was a big relief to get our first home goal and home league win of the season following a 2-0 defeat by West Ham and a goalless draw with Liverpool. It was vital that we took maximum points against the Potters and, although we made hard work of it at times, we did the most important thing and got the result.
We didn't have any problem creating chances but some of the wasted chances will again raise the question as to why manager Arsene Wenger didn't buy another striker in the summer transfer window. Walcott and Giroud getting on the scoresheet bodes well but we need the duo to be doing it on a regular basis if fans are to forgive Wenger's lack of summer spending on outfield players.
At the other end of the field, it was very pleasing to see Arsenal keep a third consecutive clean sheet in the league. What mattered most though was getting the monkey off our backs and to get that all-important home win and we did that.
Arsenal came out the blocks quickly against Stoke and almost took the lead inside the opening three minutes, but Alexis Sanchez's header was tipped onto a post by Jack Butland before Walcott sliced the rebound off target.
The Gunners continued to pile pressure on their opponents in the early stages and Sanchez came close once again when his free-kick was well kept out by Butland.
Arsenal had failed to score in their previous two home league games prior to the Potters' visit and it looked like it could be one of those days again when Sanchez was again denied by a post.
The hosts must have been wondering how on earth the scores were still goalless after the opening 10 minutes but another chance was wasted when Walcott headed over following a great cross from Hector Bellerin.
But it wasn't all down to poor finishing or bad luck with the woodwork as Butland was also in inspired form for the visitors. The 22-year-old became the Potters' number one following Asmir Begovic's summer move to Chelsea and Arsenal were finding it difficult to find a way past him.
Butland did superbly well to tip over Laurent Koscielny's long-range effort before producing a one-handed save to deny Santi Cazorla soon after.
Arsenal finally made the break through with a fine goal from Walcott after 31 minutes. Francis Coquelin won possession back for the Gunners with an excellent tackle before Ozil set-up the England striker with a delightful long-range pass from inside his own half. Walcott still had work to do when he received the ball, shrugging off the attentions of Marc Muniesa before firing a shot low beyond Butland.
Stoke tried to find a way back into the game before the break and came close to levelling when Joselu, who was making his full debut for the, saw his effort saved by Petr Cech.
Cech also denied Xherdan Shaqiri in the second half but it was Arsenal who were still creating the majority of the chances. Fortunately for the Potters, Butland was having a great game between the sticks to keep the score down.
Cazorla and Ozil combined well before the latter saw his close-range strike saved by Butland. The young shot-stopper also reacted quickly to come out and block Walcott's effort, although the England forward really should have been less casual in front of goal. He took his earlier goal well but he could've and maybe have should've had more.
The Gunners really should have put the result beyond doubt sooner as they were creating plenty of chances, but just not being clinical enough in front of goal. How substitute Giroud didn't score almost as soon as he had come off the bench I'll never know. The ball fell kindly for the Frenchman in the box but he dragged his shot wide when it looked easier to score.
Giroud sealed the points and ended hopes of a Stoke comeback when he rose highest to head home his second goal of the season from Cazorla's free-kick.
Arsenal nearly added a third in stoppage time but Butland produced a top class one-handed save to keep out Koscielny's header.
OPPOSITION'S VIEW
Stoke lie at the foot of the table and will have to improve if they are to avoid being involved in a relegation scrap at the business end of the season. Butland's display stole the headlines for the Potters to at least give the Stoke faithful, including Darren Routledge and Debs Graham, some positives to take from the game.
"Going to Arsenal is always the same for Stoke regardless of style or manager, Saturday was no different. It was a no contest from the off," said Routledge.
"Stoke seemed panicked in the opening stages and Arsenal ran freely with speed, one-twos and deft touches as they went full steam for their first home win. The first half possession stats back this up & only Jack Butland's heroics stopped it being a landslide. Stoke improved slightly in the second half but yet again Butland came to the rescue.
"The fact we mustered only one shot on target tells its own story. Our change of style is looking to be going too far the other way, Butland excluded, we are lacking a back bone at the minute. A potential harsh winter is on the cards for Stoke if we are not careful."
Graham added: "I certainly know we've got a gem in Butland as Arsenal should have buried us. People's doubts about losing Bego (Begovic) to Chelsea should be gone now after his showing.
"I know we're bottom of the league but it's early yet & we'll come good. 2-0 loss yesterday is better than last season's 3-0 & we'll be a different team back at the Brit."
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
We got another clean sheet and produced some very positive attacking play in what was a good result. But what remains frustrating is that we are creating so many chances and not putting enough of them away.
I am trying to remain optimistic that Giroud and Walcott can do the business but, like many Arsenal fans, I still wish we had bought a top class centre forward in the summer transfer window. We didn't and we must move on from this fact and focus on backing the team in every game from now until the end of the season.
We switch our attentions to the Champions League with a trip to Dinamo Zagreb next on the agenda. There are no easy games in the Champions League but this really is a game we should be winning comfortably. Maybe, just maybe, it can be a game where Walcott and Giroud score again to boost the duo's confidence and give us a chance of also challenging better in the Premier League. Let's just wait and see what happens.
Our next league outing sees us travel to face champions Chelsea and this is a game I have mixed feeling about. After Wenger ended his Jose Mourinho hoodoo with victory in the Community Shield in August, we proved we can in fact beat this Chelsea team. That game made me feel more optimistic about the first league encounter against them this season. Chelsea's poor start to the campaign has, however, left me unsure with what to think. If Crystal Palace and Everton can beat Chelsea in the league then maybe we can too. They are under performing and this could be a great time to play them. But it could also be a bad time to play them as they are a wounded side keen to put things right as soon as possible, so let's just hope it isn't against us and make sure we prove to them that the Community Shield win was no fluke.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Walcott had been wasteful earlier in the first half but made it count with a well-taken goal just after the half hour mark before Olivier Giroud's header sealed the points.
It was a big relief to get our first home goal and home league win of the season following a 2-0 defeat by West Ham and a goalless draw with Liverpool. It was vital that we took maximum points against the Potters and, although we made hard work of it at times, we did the most important thing and got the result.
We didn't have any problem creating chances but some of the wasted chances will again raise the question as to why manager Arsene Wenger didn't buy another striker in the summer transfer window. Walcott and Giroud getting on the scoresheet bodes well but we need the duo to be doing it on a regular basis if fans are to forgive Wenger's lack of summer spending on outfield players.
At the other end of the field, it was very pleasing to see Arsenal keep a third consecutive clean sheet in the league. What mattered most though was getting the monkey off our backs and to get that all-important home win and we did that.
Arsenal came out the blocks quickly against Stoke and almost took the lead inside the opening three minutes, but Alexis Sanchez's header was tipped onto a post by Jack Butland before Walcott sliced the rebound off target.
The Gunners continued to pile pressure on their opponents in the early stages and Sanchez came close once again when his free-kick was well kept out by Butland.
Arsenal had failed to score in their previous two home league games prior to the Potters' visit and it looked like it could be one of those days again when Sanchez was again denied by a post.
The hosts must have been wondering how on earth the scores were still goalless after the opening 10 minutes but another chance was wasted when Walcott headed over following a great cross from Hector Bellerin.
But it wasn't all down to poor finishing or bad luck with the woodwork as Butland was also in inspired form for the visitors. The 22-year-old became the Potters' number one following Asmir Begovic's summer move to Chelsea and Arsenal were finding it difficult to find a way past him.
Butland did superbly well to tip over Laurent Koscielny's long-range effort before producing a one-handed save to deny Santi Cazorla soon after.
Arsenal finally made the break through with a fine goal from Walcott after 31 minutes. Francis Coquelin won possession back for the Gunners with an excellent tackle before Ozil set-up the England striker with a delightful long-range pass from inside his own half. Walcott still had work to do when he received the ball, shrugging off the attentions of Marc Muniesa before firing a shot low beyond Butland.
Stoke tried to find a way back into the game before the break and came close to levelling when Joselu, who was making his full debut for the, saw his effort saved by Petr Cech.
Cech also denied Xherdan Shaqiri in the second half but it was Arsenal who were still creating the majority of the chances. Fortunately for the Potters, Butland was having a great game between the sticks to keep the score down.
Cazorla and Ozil combined well before the latter saw his close-range strike saved by Butland. The young shot-stopper also reacted quickly to come out and block Walcott's effort, although the England forward really should have been less casual in front of goal. He took his earlier goal well but he could've and maybe have should've had more.
The Gunners really should have put the result beyond doubt sooner as they were creating plenty of chances, but just not being clinical enough in front of goal. How substitute Giroud didn't score almost as soon as he had come off the bench I'll never know. The ball fell kindly for the Frenchman in the box but he dragged his shot wide when it looked easier to score.
Giroud sealed the points and ended hopes of a Stoke comeback when he rose highest to head home his second goal of the season from Cazorla's free-kick.
Arsenal nearly added a third in stoppage time but Butland produced a top class one-handed save to keep out Koscielny's header.
OPPOSITION'S VIEW
Stoke lie at the foot of the table and will have to improve if they are to avoid being involved in a relegation scrap at the business end of the season. Butland's display stole the headlines for the Potters to at least give the Stoke faithful, including Darren Routledge and Debs Graham, some positives to take from the game.
"Going to Arsenal is always the same for Stoke regardless of style or manager, Saturday was no different. It was a no contest from the off," said Routledge.
"Stoke seemed panicked in the opening stages and Arsenal ran freely with speed, one-twos and deft touches as they went full steam for their first home win. The first half possession stats back this up & only Jack Butland's heroics stopped it being a landslide. Stoke improved slightly in the second half but yet again Butland came to the rescue.
"The fact we mustered only one shot on target tells its own story. Our change of style is looking to be going too far the other way, Butland excluded, we are lacking a back bone at the minute. A potential harsh winter is on the cards for Stoke if we are not careful."
Graham added: "I certainly know we've got a gem in Butland as Arsenal should have buried us. People's doubts about losing Bego (Begovic) to Chelsea should be gone now after his showing.
"I know we're bottom of the league but it's early yet & we'll come good. 2-0 loss yesterday is better than last season's 3-0 & we'll be a different team back at the Brit."
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
We got another clean sheet and produced some very positive attacking play in what was a good result. But what remains frustrating is that we are creating so many chances and not putting enough of them away.
I am trying to remain optimistic that Giroud and Walcott can do the business but, like many Arsenal fans, I still wish we had bought a top class centre forward in the summer transfer window. We didn't and we must move on from this fact and focus on backing the team in every game from now until the end of the season.
We switch our attentions to the Champions League with a trip to Dinamo Zagreb next on the agenda. There are no easy games in the Champions League but this really is a game we should be winning comfortably. Maybe, just maybe, it can be a game where Walcott and Giroud score again to boost the duo's confidence and give us a chance of also challenging better in the Premier League. Let's just wait and see what happens.
Our next league outing sees us travel to face champions Chelsea and this is a game I have mixed feeling about. After Wenger ended his Jose Mourinho hoodoo with victory in the Community Shield in August, we proved we can in fact beat this Chelsea team. That game made me feel more optimistic about the first league encounter against them this season. Chelsea's poor start to the campaign has, however, left me unsure with what to think. If Crystal Palace and Everton can beat Chelsea in the league then maybe we can too. They are under performing and this could be a great time to play them. But it could also be a bad time to play them as they are a wounded side keen to put things right as soon as possible, so let's just hope it isn't against us and make sure we prove to them that the Community Shield win was no fluke.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
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