Lukas Podolski struck twice to give his manager a selection headache as Arsenal ended the Champions League group stages in style with a 4-1 win at Galatasaray.
The result was not enough to see the Gunners snatch first place as Borussia Dortmund's 1-1 draw with Anderlecht meant the Germans won Group D on goal difference, but there were still plenty positives for the visitors to take from their night in Turkey.
Podolski put in an impressive display on a rare start, and put in a very good case to be given another start this weekend. Ramsey got himself back among the goals with a brace and Mathieu Debuchy put in a solid performance on his return from three months out with an ankle injury. The game also saw Wenger give debuts to youngsters Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Stefan O'Connor, while Gedion Zelalem came on for his first Champions League appearance - all very good signs for the London club.
The performance doesn't fully paper over the cracks of the problems of Arsenal's season, including the terrible 3-2 defeat at Stoke last time out, but it is certainly a huge confidence boost for Wenger's men. Arsenal must now ensure they maintain consistency instead of going all Jekyll and Hyde again when they return to league action for the visit of Newcastle.
Arsenal went into the game having already qualified for the knock-out stages and, with an arguably weak opposition, some had said the pressure was off. I disagree with this theory as, although the chance was only slim, there was still a slim chance of snatching top spot so there was a huge prize to play for. Only goal difference saw us finish behind Dortmund, which brings back memories of when we let the three-goal lead slip against Anderlecht, a result that ultimately cost us top spot.
It took just three minutes for the Gunners to make their dominance count as Podolski latched onto Ramsey's through-ball before thundering the ball home from close range. It was a great finish for the German World Cup winner, who is finding game-time hard to come by this season. Each time I see him play, whether a cameo or a rare start, he continues to prove that he deserves a start. His brace tonight was further proof of this and Wenger really needs to give him a chance. It is hard to build up form when you are not given the chance yet Podolski has still managed to score in each of his last four Champions League starts for Arsenal. Who knows what could happen if he is given more of a chance to prove himself. I'm not saying he'll be a world beater (although he does have a medal to prove it) but he deserves more of a chance than he is getting.
Back to the game and, although Arsenal were dominating, Galatasaray had their fair share of chances and were simply wasteful in front of goal, sending the majority of their efforts off target.
Those misses proved costly as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ramsey combined superbly to get the Welsh wonder back among the goals. Ramsey was sensational last season but has come in for criticism in the current campaign, largely because his goal tally has somewhat dried up. In Turkey, however, he was back in confident mood with a goal after 11 minutes. Oxlade-Chamberlain picked up the ball in midfield to drive forward and, with the hosts distracted thinking there had been a foul, he continued his run and released Ramsey. The midfielder's left-footed shot rolled into the bottom corner and across Sinan Bolat in the visitors' goal.
Ramsey's next big contribution was even better as he scored the goal of the game just before the half hour mark. A corner into the box was cleared by the Galatasaray defence but Ramsey hammered it back towards goal from 35 yards with an unstoppable sublime left-foot volley into the top corner. Not only was it a top strike, but Ramsey's double will have given him a much-needed confidence boost and maybe this can be the start of a fine run of goal scoring form for the Welshman...here's hoping!
After such a dominant half and with Dortmund, at that point, goalless in there game, some were thinking if the Gunners' kept things up they could win the group on goal difference. Dortmund did end up drawing but the English outfit couldn't find enough goals, although they did find one more. The only real negative from the excellent first half is that the performance left fans including myself wondering where on earth this had been against Stoke in the last game. Some had said it was just because of facing poor opposition in our final Champions League group game, but you can only beat what's in front of you and we acquitted ourselves well.
Wesley Sneijder pulled a goal back for the hosts two minutes from time with a delightful free-kick giving the returning Wojciech Szczesny no chance. But it was the Gunners who had the final say as Podolski scored his second in injury time. The forward played a one-two before holding off challenges from the visitors' defence and scoring calmly from close range.
Yes we weren't playing the best opposition, yes there was less pressure on us having already qualified, but a wins a win and there were a lot of positives to take from the game!
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Tuesday, 9 December 2014
Monday, 8 December 2014
Potters rule Britannia
A dominant first-half display helped Stoke outclass their opponents and record a shock 3-2 victory over 10-man Arsenal at the Britannia Stadium.
The Potters were quick out the blocks and were in firm control inside the opening 30 seconds thanks to Peter Crouch before further goals from Bojan Krkic and Jon Walters gave the hosts a commanding 3-0 half-time lead.
Stoke then had a goal disallowed before two goals in as many minutes from Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey turned the one-sided game back into a contest for the Gunners. Arsene Wenger's men continued to pile on the pressure in the final quarter. Although, an equaliser would've been harsh on the hosts, who deserved their win, it had looked a distinct possibility as the Gunners mounted further attacks.
But Arsenal's chances of completing a fine comeback were made even tougher when Calum Chambers was sent off for a second bookable offence with 11 minutes remaining. Arsenal failed to find a leveller and, although there were some positives in the second half, it was a largely disappointing display from the visitors.
Without sounding harsh on Stoke, as they deserve full credit for their performance, we should not have lost in that manner with such a poor first-half performance against opposition like that. The Potters are often difficult to beat in their own back yard but how we just capitulated in the opening 45 minutes was inexcusable and, alongside the trip to Dortmund, was easily the worst performance of the season. The early goal didn't help but it was the fact we barely showed any fight to try get back into the game in the first half that hurt the most.
The second half was better and after Cazorla's spot-kick, the Gunners began to up the tempo and finally showed some fight to try and get something out of the game but ultimately it was too little too late.
Before the game Arsenal enjoyed run of three consecutive wins in all competitions without conceding a goal. Damian Martinez had earned deserved praise for the previous clean sheets but the game was only 19 seconds old when the 22-year-old was beaten by Crouch's close-range effort.
Arsenal should have drawn level in the first half but Olivier Giroud headed off target with the goal gaping. The visitors were made to pay for that wasted opportunity when Walters set up Bojan to sidefoot in Potters' second after 35 minutes.
Giroud wasted another headed opportunity when Asmir Begovic tipped over his effort and it proved costly once again as Crouch's header deflected to Walters to fire home.
It was a truly awful first half from the Gunners and, although Stoke deserved credit for their lead, there can be no excuses from the visitors - it was simply not good enough! From three solid defensive displays to one of the worst defensive performances of the season just beggars belief. Although, I have seen Arsenal capitulate like this before, I genuinely believed after recent results that confidence was returning to the side. Instead we are back to square one. Wenger's position is again under question and after a result like that it is hard to argue against it. Wenger is clearly making some mistakes that need to be rectified...and soon...but the manner of some of the abuse Wenger was receiving from fans was unacceptable. But where do we go from here? Does Wenger go? I don't think so....well not yet anyway! I think we do need two or three top quality additions to the playing squad in January though.
Back to the game, and Stoke were very unlucky not to go 4-0 up when Bojan appeared to have scored only to have the goal disallowed for offside.
The Gunners' faithful then finally had something to shout about when Mame Biram Diouf clipped Mathieu Flamini in the box after 68 minutes. Cazorla made no mistake from the spot to give the Gunners a glimmer of hope. The visitors were right back in the contest two minutes later when Ramsey showed great technique to volley in from Alexis Sanchez's corner.
Chambers has put in several impressive performances since joining the Gunners from Southampton over the summer but he stopped his side's momentum after receiving his second yellow card, and subsequently his marching orders, for pulling back Bojan.
After this performance, it is a bit of a relief to know that the next game has a lot less riding on it. Although we still have a slim chance of claiming top spot in our group in the Champions League, qualification is already secure. This is likely to lead to Wenger tinkering with his squad ahead of the trip to Galatasaray. Even though a top-two spot is already guaranteed, I think the players still have a huge point to prove. After the shocking first half performance against Stoke the players, and Wenger, need to try and defy their critics with a huge display against the Turkish side. The last Champions League game - the victory over Borussia Dortmund - was very impressive and more like that is needed. However, one positive result in the Champions League won't solve our problems. There is a lot of hard work ahead and, with some tough fixtures coming up, the Gunners need to bounce back in style in an attempt to give their fans a happy Christmas.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
The Potters were quick out the blocks and were in firm control inside the opening 30 seconds thanks to Peter Crouch before further goals from Bojan Krkic and Jon Walters gave the hosts a commanding 3-0 half-time lead.
Stoke then had a goal disallowed before two goals in as many minutes from Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey turned the one-sided game back into a contest for the Gunners. Arsene Wenger's men continued to pile on the pressure in the final quarter. Although, an equaliser would've been harsh on the hosts, who deserved their win, it had looked a distinct possibility as the Gunners mounted further attacks.
But Arsenal's chances of completing a fine comeback were made even tougher when Calum Chambers was sent off for a second bookable offence with 11 minutes remaining. Arsenal failed to find a leveller and, although there were some positives in the second half, it was a largely disappointing display from the visitors.
Without sounding harsh on Stoke, as they deserve full credit for their performance, we should not have lost in that manner with such a poor first-half performance against opposition like that. The Potters are often difficult to beat in their own back yard but how we just capitulated in the opening 45 minutes was inexcusable and, alongside the trip to Dortmund, was easily the worst performance of the season. The early goal didn't help but it was the fact we barely showed any fight to try get back into the game in the first half that hurt the most.
The second half was better and after Cazorla's spot-kick, the Gunners began to up the tempo and finally showed some fight to try and get something out of the game but ultimately it was too little too late.
Before the game Arsenal enjoyed run of three consecutive wins in all competitions without conceding a goal. Damian Martinez had earned deserved praise for the previous clean sheets but the game was only 19 seconds old when the 22-year-old was beaten by Crouch's close-range effort.
Arsenal should have drawn level in the first half but Olivier Giroud headed off target with the goal gaping. The visitors were made to pay for that wasted opportunity when Walters set up Bojan to sidefoot in Potters' second after 35 minutes.
Giroud wasted another headed opportunity when Asmir Begovic tipped over his effort and it proved costly once again as Crouch's header deflected to Walters to fire home.
It was a truly awful first half from the Gunners and, although Stoke deserved credit for their lead, there can be no excuses from the visitors - it was simply not good enough! From three solid defensive displays to one of the worst defensive performances of the season just beggars belief. Although, I have seen Arsenal capitulate like this before, I genuinely believed after recent results that confidence was returning to the side. Instead we are back to square one. Wenger's position is again under question and after a result like that it is hard to argue against it. Wenger is clearly making some mistakes that need to be rectified...and soon...but the manner of some of the abuse Wenger was receiving from fans was unacceptable. But where do we go from here? Does Wenger go? I don't think so....well not yet anyway! I think we do need two or three top quality additions to the playing squad in January though.
Back to the game, and Stoke were very unlucky not to go 4-0 up when Bojan appeared to have scored only to have the goal disallowed for offside.
The Gunners' faithful then finally had something to shout about when Mame Biram Diouf clipped Mathieu Flamini in the box after 68 minutes. Cazorla made no mistake from the spot to give the Gunners a glimmer of hope. The visitors were right back in the contest two minutes later when Ramsey showed great technique to volley in from Alexis Sanchez's corner.
Chambers has put in several impressive performances since joining the Gunners from Southampton over the summer but he stopped his side's momentum after receiving his second yellow card, and subsequently his marching orders, for pulling back Bojan.
After this performance, it is a bit of a relief to know that the next game has a lot less riding on it. Although we still have a slim chance of claiming top spot in our group in the Champions League, qualification is already secure. This is likely to lead to Wenger tinkering with his squad ahead of the trip to Galatasaray. Even though a top-two spot is already guaranteed, I think the players still have a huge point to prove. After the shocking first half performance against Stoke the players, and Wenger, need to try and defy their critics with a huge display against the Turkish side. The last Champions League game - the victory over Borussia Dortmund - was very impressive and more like that is needed. However, one positive result in the Champions League won't solve our problems. There is a lot of hard work ahead and, with some tough fixtures coming up, the Gunners need to bounce back in style in an attempt to give their fans a happy Christmas.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Wednesday, 3 December 2014
Sanchez stuns Saints
Alexis Sanchez once again proved his worth with a last-gasp goal as Arsenal kept their third successive clean sheet with a 1-0 win over Southampton.
The Chilean winger, who has arguably been one of the signings of the summer in the Premier League this season, scored from close range in the final minute of normal time for his 14th goal of the season.
Arsenal controlled for large spells and the score could've been higher had man of the match Fraser Forster not been in sublime form for the visitors.
The Saints have been one of the stand-out sides this season, with Ronald Koeman's men defying all the odds to keep among the top four, but it was the Gunners who continued to get their season back on track to inflict back-to-back league defeats on their opponents for the first time this season.
Although Arsenal are still not answering all the questions being posed by their critics, it was a third win in three games in all competitions and another largely solid defensive display. The Gunners have often been criticised for leaking goals at the back, but the back four limited Southampton to just one shot on target and deserve huge credit for that. It is no coincidence that the return of Laurent Koscielny from injury has seen more defensive stability at the back for the Gunners. Stand-in goalkeeper Damian Martinez also kept another clean sheet, and although he didn't have too much to do, he seems to be showing no fear and recent results will undoubtedly do his confidence the world of good.
Wenger is still under pressure from sections of the fans but one thing he cannot be questioned on is his signing of Sanchez, who once again delivered the goods, even on a day he didn't have the strongest of performances.
In truth, the game didn't really come to life until the second half. Neither goalkeeper had too much to do in the opening 45 minutes, with the best chance falling to the hosts in first-half stoppage time. Welbeck's flicked header looked goal-bound but Forster reacted well to turn his header over the bar.
Olivier Giroud almost made an instant impact when he replaced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after 65 minutes, but the Frenchman's snap shot was kept out by the impressive Forster. The England goalkeeper continued to impress, much to the frustration of the hosts, and I personally would have him as England's number one ahead of Joe Hart.
Forster made arguably his best save of the match when Giroud's neat flick released Welbeck and the Saints star man reacted superbly to deny his England counterpart with a one-handed save.
Saints were dealt a blow in the closing stages when Toby Alderweireld suffered a hamstring injury and Southampton had already used all three substitutes, forcing the visitors to play out the remainder of the game with 10 men.
The hosts made the extra man count as Aaron Ramsey latched onto a loose ball before sending the ball back across goal for Sanchez, who calmly slotted the ball home from six yards to send the Gunners' faithful into raptures.
There is definitely room for improvement and Wenger's previous problems haven't gone away, but this is certainly another step in the right direction. With the defence continuing to improve, the Gunners just need to find a way to be more clinical up front, possibly with some January additions, to be able to properly challenge the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City.
Focus must now turn to Stoke as Arsenal look to maintain their good run of form.
Come on you Gunners
The Chilean winger, who has arguably been one of the signings of the summer in the Premier League this season, scored from close range in the final minute of normal time for his 14th goal of the season.
Arsenal controlled for large spells and the score could've been higher had man of the match Fraser Forster not been in sublime form for the visitors.
The Saints have been one of the stand-out sides this season, with Ronald Koeman's men defying all the odds to keep among the top four, but it was the Gunners who continued to get their season back on track to inflict back-to-back league defeats on their opponents for the first time this season.
Although Arsenal are still not answering all the questions being posed by their critics, it was a third win in three games in all competitions and another largely solid defensive display. The Gunners have often been criticised for leaking goals at the back, but the back four limited Southampton to just one shot on target and deserve huge credit for that. It is no coincidence that the return of Laurent Koscielny from injury has seen more defensive stability at the back for the Gunners. Stand-in goalkeeper Damian Martinez also kept another clean sheet, and although he didn't have too much to do, he seems to be showing no fear and recent results will undoubtedly do his confidence the world of good.
Wenger is still under pressure from sections of the fans but one thing he cannot be questioned on is his signing of Sanchez, who once again delivered the goods, even on a day he didn't have the strongest of performances.
In truth, the game didn't really come to life until the second half. Neither goalkeeper had too much to do in the opening 45 minutes, with the best chance falling to the hosts in first-half stoppage time. Welbeck's flicked header looked goal-bound but Forster reacted well to turn his header over the bar.
Olivier Giroud almost made an instant impact when he replaced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after 65 minutes, but the Frenchman's snap shot was kept out by the impressive Forster. The England goalkeeper continued to impress, much to the frustration of the hosts, and I personally would have him as England's number one ahead of Joe Hart.
Forster made arguably his best save of the match when Giroud's neat flick released Welbeck and the Saints star man reacted superbly to deny his England counterpart with a one-handed save.
Saints were dealt a blow in the closing stages when Toby Alderweireld suffered a hamstring injury and Southampton had already used all three substitutes, forcing the visitors to play out the remainder of the game with 10 men.
The hosts made the extra man count as Aaron Ramsey latched onto a loose ball before sending the ball back across goal for Sanchez, who calmly slotted the ball home from six yards to send the Gunners' faithful into raptures.
There is definitely room for improvement and Wenger's previous problems haven't gone away, but this is certainly another step in the right direction. With the defence continuing to improve, the Gunners just need to find a way to be more clinical up front, possibly with some January additions, to be able to properly challenge the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City.
Focus must now turn to Stoke as Arsenal look to maintain their good run of form.
Come on you Gunners
Sunday, 30 November 2014
Gunners Wel-Beck to winning winnings
Danny Welbeck scored the only goal of the game as Arsenal continued to get their season back on track with a 1-0 win at West Brom.
Following back-to-back league defeats to Swansea and Manchester United the pressure was mounting on Gunners' boss Arsene Wenger, especially with his side having their lowest points tally after 12 games in 32 years. However, there was a slightly more positive mood ahead of the trip to The Hawthorns following an impressive and confident 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in midweek.
The dominant performance against the German giants certainly lifted the mood, although fans would've been very wary of how their last league game panned out where they controlled for large spells yet ended the game with nothing to show for it.
The Gunners were boosted by the return of Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny to the starting XI, but yet again the unlucky visitors suffered further injuries. Nacho Monreal was forced off after just 23 minutes with a knee problem while his replacement, Kieran Gibbs also picked up a knock to his ankle. Substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also damaged his knee, although at the time of his post-match interview Wenger was unsure of the extent of the problems.
Bad luck has contributed to a lot of the injuries but some fans have criticised Arsenal's training regime and management of injuries as problems continue to build year on year. It is hard to pinpoint why we are one the clubs who consistently have to deal with injuries but it definitely makes Wenger's job harder. When everyone is fit we have the foundations of a great side but all it takes is a few injuries to really stretch us. It again highlights the need to add a few fresh faces and hopefully Wenger will get his chequebook out in January. Whether that actually happens remains to be seen but we must add depth soon.
Despite the injury problems the last two results have been very positive. The performance and result against Dortmund were excellent and, although the Gunners' display wasn't quite as solid at The Hawthorns, it was another well-deserved win.
Welbeck had arguably the best chance in the first half but his effort was well blocked by Ben Foster in the Baggies' goal after 23 minutes. Giroud, making his first start since suffering a broken leg in August, wasted the next chance soon after when he dispossessed Foster near the corner flag. Although it left Foster stranded and the goal open the angle proved too acute for the Frenchman and his effort didn't cause their opponents any problems.
With the sides going in goalless at half-time fans could've been forgiven for feeling anxious with the recent loss to Manchester United, mainly caused by failing to make their dominance count, fresh in the memory.
The travelling faithful breathed a huge sigh of relief when the Gunners took a well-deserved lead on the hour mark. Santi Cazorla, who was one of the stand-out performers against the Baggies, made space for himself following a decent run past the defence before crossing for Welbeck to power a header beyond Foster for his sixth goal for the club.
Arsenal remained in control of the game but, after failing to add a second, there was always a worry of their opponents getting an equaliser against the run of play. The Baggies, who have not scored a league goal for over 300 minutes, didn't create many chances but almost levelled the scores 10 minutes from time when Saido Berahino's header hit the crossbar.
The Gunners held on to record a much-needed league victory and maybe, just maybe, the last two results in all competitions will help them get their season back on track. On the whole it was a positive day for Arsenal but some supporters were still unhappy despite the result and held up a banner asking Wenger to end his reign at the club.
When asked by reporters, under-pressure Wenger was adamant in not wanting to comment on the banner but he will surely know it will take a huge improvement in league position to get the critics off his back.
I still believe he is the right man from the job but it is frustrating how we are so near yet so far off a serious title challenge. Injuries and some bad luck have played their part but we can't just hide behind that. The likes of Chelsea have been firing on all cylinders for the majority of the season but, more importantly, have been able to kill teams off better. When Chelsea played QPR earlier in the season, their London rivals looked more than capable of getting a result in a very tough battle, but Jose Mourinho's men took their chances. That really is the big difference! We have only lost three games, but have drawn five, and some of those could definitely have been prevented had we been more clinical.
We can at least take positives from the last two results and, if we can carry on that form in the coming weeks, we may yet be able to get our season back on track. We will need to step things up another gear though, especially with high-flying Southampton being our next opponents.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Following back-to-back league defeats to Swansea and Manchester United the pressure was mounting on Gunners' boss Arsene Wenger, especially with his side having their lowest points tally after 12 games in 32 years. However, there was a slightly more positive mood ahead of the trip to The Hawthorns following an impressive and confident 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in midweek.
The dominant performance against the German giants certainly lifted the mood, although fans would've been very wary of how their last league game panned out where they controlled for large spells yet ended the game with nothing to show for it.
The Gunners were boosted by the return of Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny to the starting XI, but yet again the unlucky visitors suffered further injuries. Nacho Monreal was forced off after just 23 minutes with a knee problem while his replacement, Kieran Gibbs also picked up a knock to his ankle. Substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also damaged his knee, although at the time of his post-match interview Wenger was unsure of the extent of the problems.
Bad luck has contributed to a lot of the injuries but some fans have criticised Arsenal's training regime and management of injuries as problems continue to build year on year. It is hard to pinpoint why we are one the clubs who consistently have to deal with injuries but it definitely makes Wenger's job harder. When everyone is fit we have the foundations of a great side but all it takes is a few injuries to really stretch us. It again highlights the need to add a few fresh faces and hopefully Wenger will get his chequebook out in January. Whether that actually happens remains to be seen but we must add depth soon.
Despite the injury problems the last two results have been very positive. The performance and result against Dortmund were excellent and, although the Gunners' display wasn't quite as solid at The Hawthorns, it was another well-deserved win.
Welbeck had arguably the best chance in the first half but his effort was well blocked by Ben Foster in the Baggies' goal after 23 minutes. Giroud, making his first start since suffering a broken leg in August, wasted the next chance soon after when he dispossessed Foster near the corner flag. Although it left Foster stranded and the goal open the angle proved too acute for the Frenchman and his effort didn't cause their opponents any problems.
With the sides going in goalless at half-time fans could've been forgiven for feeling anxious with the recent loss to Manchester United, mainly caused by failing to make their dominance count, fresh in the memory.
The travelling faithful breathed a huge sigh of relief when the Gunners took a well-deserved lead on the hour mark. Santi Cazorla, who was one of the stand-out performers against the Baggies, made space for himself following a decent run past the defence before crossing for Welbeck to power a header beyond Foster for his sixth goal for the club.
Arsenal remained in control of the game but, after failing to add a second, there was always a worry of their opponents getting an equaliser against the run of play. The Baggies, who have not scored a league goal for over 300 minutes, didn't create many chances but almost levelled the scores 10 minutes from time when Saido Berahino's header hit the crossbar.
The Gunners held on to record a much-needed league victory and maybe, just maybe, the last two results in all competitions will help them get their season back on track. On the whole it was a positive day for Arsenal but some supporters were still unhappy despite the result and held up a banner asking Wenger to end his reign at the club.
When asked by reporters, under-pressure Wenger was adamant in not wanting to comment on the banner but he will surely know it will take a huge improvement in league position to get the critics off his back.
I still believe he is the right man from the job but it is frustrating how we are so near yet so far off a serious title challenge. Injuries and some bad luck have played their part but we can't just hide behind that. The likes of Chelsea have been firing on all cylinders for the majority of the season but, more importantly, have been able to kill teams off better. When Chelsea played QPR earlier in the season, their London rivals looked more than capable of getting a result in a very tough battle, but Jose Mourinho's men took their chances. That really is the big difference! We have only lost three games, but have drawn five, and some of those could definitely have been prevented had we been more clinical.
We can at least take positives from the last two results and, if we can carry on that form in the coming weeks, we may yet be able to get our season back on track. We will need to step things up another gear though, especially with high-flying Southampton being our next opponents.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Wednesday, 26 November 2014
Sano-Goal secures Gunners qualification
Yaya Sanogo scored his first competitive goal for the club as Arsenal secured their qualification for the Champions League knock-out stages with an impressive 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund.
Sanogo hasn't had the easiest of starts to his Gunners' career but took just 73 seconds to opening the scoring at the Emirates, in what was a solid display for the French striker. Alexis Sanchez added a delightful second after the restart as Arsene Wenger's men ended a run of three games without a win in all competitions.
Arsenal controlled large spells of their last game but it ended in a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United, so it was a lot more reassuring to see the hosts turn their pressure into goals against the German giants. Dortmund had already qualified for the knock-out stages before the match but would still have wanted to get the point they needed to secure top spot in Group D. As it is the Gunners can still snatch top spot if they beat Galatasaray in their final group game, and Anderlecht grab a surprise win in Dortmund. Whether Arsenal finish first or second in the group one thing is for sure - a place in the knock-out stages of the competition for a 15th consecutive season.
The victory was all the more impressive considering the fact that before the match Borussia Dortmund were one of just two sides left in the competition with a 100% record. Dortmund are doing poorly domestically, hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone, but they have had no such problems in the Champions League with four wins out of four...until the trip to London! What impressed me most about the result wasn't just making our pressure count but the fact that we were a lot more defensively organised and more of our players stood up to be counted.
This one result doesn't mean all our problems are gone and there is still a long way to go. But it is definitely a good start and fingers crossed it will give us a much-needed confidence boost and be the start of a strong run of form.
With Jack Wilshere, Wojciech Szczesny and Danny Welbeck all ruled out through injury, it looked set to be an even tougher game for a damaged Arsenal side. But the Gunners had other ideas and never looked back after taking the lead inside the opening two minutes.
Sanogo controlled the ball well before passing to Santi Cazorla, who gave the ball back to his team-mate with a great reverse pass. The French striker then rolled the ball through the legs of Roman Weidenfeller in the Dortmund goal. The 21-year-old should've added a second when he raced clear after nine minutes but his eventual effort was blocked.
Arsenal were well in control of the match and, unlike the defeat to Manchester United last time out, the hosts were making their pressure count. Dortmund did, however, come close to levelling the scores against the run of play before half-time. Henrikh Mkhitaryan latched onto a headed before shooting at goal but Damian Martinez, deputising for the injured Szczesny, reacted well to block his effort.
The Gunners more than deserved their narrow half-time lead but some fans would have been worried that the lead wasn't added to, knowing Dortmund were more than capable of producing a comeback.
It was pleasing to see Wenger's men keep up the defensive organisation in the second half and Dortmund struggled to create too many chances in the second half. Calum Chambers and Kieran Gibbs were again solid but more pleasing was an impressive display from Nacho Monreal, who has been suspect at the back in previous games.
Arsenal made sure of the victory after 57 minutes when Alexis Sanchez, who has been the Gunners' stand-out performer this season, cut inside from the left and curled an unstoppable long-range effort beyond Weidenfeller. It wasn't the case of Sanchez merely carrying his team this time. Instead every member of the squad stepped up to be counted with the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was making his 100th appearance for the club, particularly impressing with only the crossbar denying him a wonder goal. Martinez also performed well when called upon, denying Adrian Ramos from close range in stoppage time to complete a solid evening for the Argentine youngster.
Sanogo and Mikel Arteta picked up injuries and Arsenal fans will be hoping they are not too serious, in what was the only real negative in an impressive display from Wenger's men.
The performance and result was definitely a step in the right direction for the Gunners. The real test now will be whether or not Arsenal can produce more of the same when they return to league action against West Brom.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Sanogo hasn't had the easiest of starts to his Gunners' career but took just 73 seconds to opening the scoring at the Emirates, in what was a solid display for the French striker. Alexis Sanchez added a delightful second after the restart as Arsene Wenger's men ended a run of three games without a win in all competitions.
Arsenal controlled large spells of their last game but it ended in a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United, so it was a lot more reassuring to see the hosts turn their pressure into goals against the German giants. Dortmund had already qualified for the knock-out stages before the match but would still have wanted to get the point they needed to secure top spot in Group D. As it is the Gunners can still snatch top spot if they beat Galatasaray in their final group game, and Anderlecht grab a surprise win in Dortmund. Whether Arsenal finish first or second in the group one thing is for sure - a place in the knock-out stages of the competition for a 15th consecutive season.
The victory was all the more impressive considering the fact that before the match Borussia Dortmund were one of just two sides left in the competition with a 100% record. Dortmund are doing poorly domestically, hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone, but they have had no such problems in the Champions League with four wins out of four...until the trip to London! What impressed me most about the result wasn't just making our pressure count but the fact that we were a lot more defensively organised and more of our players stood up to be counted.
This one result doesn't mean all our problems are gone and there is still a long way to go. But it is definitely a good start and fingers crossed it will give us a much-needed confidence boost and be the start of a strong run of form.
With Jack Wilshere, Wojciech Szczesny and Danny Welbeck all ruled out through injury, it looked set to be an even tougher game for a damaged Arsenal side. But the Gunners had other ideas and never looked back after taking the lead inside the opening two minutes.
Sanogo controlled the ball well before passing to Santi Cazorla, who gave the ball back to his team-mate with a great reverse pass. The French striker then rolled the ball through the legs of Roman Weidenfeller in the Dortmund goal. The 21-year-old should've added a second when he raced clear after nine minutes but his eventual effort was blocked.
Arsenal were well in control of the match and, unlike the defeat to Manchester United last time out, the hosts were making their pressure count. Dortmund did, however, come close to levelling the scores against the run of play before half-time. Henrikh Mkhitaryan latched onto a headed before shooting at goal but Damian Martinez, deputising for the injured Szczesny, reacted well to block his effort.
The Gunners more than deserved their narrow half-time lead but some fans would have been worried that the lead wasn't added to, knowing Dortmund were more than capable of producing a comeback.
It was pleasing to see Wenger's men keep up the defensive organisation in the second half and Dortmund struggled to create too many chances in the second half. Calum Chambers and Kieran Gibbs were again solid but more pleasing was an impressive display from Nacho Monreal, who has been suspect at the back in previous games.
Arsenal made sure of the victory after 57 minutes when Alexis Sanchez, who has been the Gunners' stand-out performer this season, cut inside from the left and curled an unstoppable long-range effort beyond Weidenfeller. It wasn't the case of Sanchez merely carrying his team this time. Instead every member of the squad stepped up to be counted with the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was making his 100th appearance for the club, particularly impressing with only the crossbar denying him a wonder goal. Martinez also performed well when called upon, denying Adrian Ramos from close range in stoppage time to complete a solid evening for the Argentine youngster.
Sanogo and Mikel Arteta picked up injuries and Arsenal fans will be hoping they are not too serious, in what was the only real negative in an impressive display from Wenger's men.
The performance and result was definitely a step in the right direction for the Gunners. The real test now will be whether or not Arsenal can produce more of the same when they return to league action against West Brom.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Sunday, 23 November 2014
Rooney ruins Gunners day
Wayne Rooney's late strike ensured Manchester United put further damage into Arsenal's slumping season with a 2-1 victory at the Emirates.
It was the Gunners' first home defeat in over 15 months and was made all the more frustrating as they were left with nothing to show for their dominance.
I was personally relatively happy with how the game had panned out after the opening 45 minutes, with goals all that was really missing from a decent performance. The lack of goals was far too costly to ignore and once again highlighted our inability to kill off games when on top this season. Jack Wilshere was also arguably lucky to stay on the field after thrusting his head into Marouane Fellaini.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was lively and Calum Chambers putting in an impressive performance at the back, while Danny Welbeck was working hard to create chances against his former club. But it counted for nothing when Welbeck and his fellow attacking players were so wasteful in front of goal. Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea deserves credit for an excellent performance but Arsenal still should have done far better in front of goal and their poor finishing cost them dear.
Restricting their opponents to merely shots off target in the first half was impressive but it counts for nothing when we couldn't score at the right end. What started as a positive performance ended with what became one of the most frustrating I have witnessed this season because of being unable to make our dominance count against what had been a fairly poor Manchester United side.
Louis Van Gaal's men, who secured their first away win under the Dutchman's leadership, do however deserve huge credit for showing great resilience in being able to leave London with a maximum three-point haul.
With Manchester United getting the victory, despite being on the back foot for large periods of the game, further criticism was thrown at Wenger with some fans wanting him to leave the club.
When asked how to see games through after dominating them, Wenger told his club's official website: "How you stop that is to be more efficient. That will be linked with confidence and the fact that we have to be a bit more calm and patient. At the moment we are after success and there’s a discordance with our possession, our chances we create and our result. It’s very difficult but we have to keep faith in what we do."
Wenger is right. We certainly do need to be more efficient whether it is through adding more new faces to the squad in January, a switch in tactics or taking the extreme measure of changing the manager. Many fans are losing patience with Wenger and, although I still want him to stay, it is hard to argue with some of those fans' reasons. Failing to kill off games and not rectifying the same basic mistakes is very frustrating and something has to be done about it and quickly.
I am still in support of Wenger staying in charge but I want to see one hell of an improvement in terms of converting chances regardless of the tough opposition in our next match against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
Whilst there were positive aspects to the performance against Manchester United, it is no good being able to simply 'talk about positives'. I'd rather be talking every week about three points regardless of whether it a great performance or an ugly win. We need to see games out far better!
After the impressive first half against Manchester United, I turned to an opposition fan at half-time and said the lack of goals was going to come back to haunt us. We had dominated but they were bound to get a goal out of nowhere....and that they did! Kieran Gibbs, who actually performance fairly well apart from this unfortunate moment, turned Antonio Valencia's cross into his own net after 56 minutes.
Arsenal were dealt a further blow when goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was forced off following a collision with Gibbs in the build up to the goal, with youngster Damian Martinez coming on to take his place.
The Gunners didn't then collapse as some may have expected and they continued to surge forward with attack after attack, but it was all in vain as still the goal wouldn't come. Wenger's men were made to pay for their poor finishing when Rooney raced clear to score with his side's first shot on target five minutes from time. Yes, it took 85 minutes for United to register a shot on target. It is an appalling stat but Van Gaal's side had the one stat that mattered - the result - in their favour and that's all that matters. In fact, it could've been worse for Arsenal had Angel Di Maria not missed a sitter shortly after.
Substitute Olivier Giroud came off the bench to make his appearance after three months out on the sidelines with a fractured to his left tibia. The French striker had only been on the field 13 minutes when he scored with a fine in stoppage time to give the Gunners a glimmer of hope.
Eight minutes of stoppage time were awarded to give Wenger's men further chance of a comeback, but they were unable to find another goal
Although Arsenal have done a lot right this season, they have also done a lot wrong to undo their hard work and it has proved costly with just 17 points from 12 games - their lowest total for 32 years.
It is clear that something needs to be done but I genuinely believe getting rid of Wenger isn't the answer. We need to spend wisely in January though, with a defensive midfielder, another defender and a striker the priorities for the Frenchman's shopping list in 2015.
As much as I usually back Wenger, he really must act quickly. We have been so near yet so far this season and it has proved very frustrating. With the exception of the odd one or two games this season, the ones we have dropped points in could've been prevented had certain basic problems, including defending at set pieces and scoring when on top in games, been addressed. We are just talking about small things here but these small things are turning into big things, so the manager needs to address them and, more importantly, the players must take responsibility and stand up to be counted, starting against Dortmund in midweek.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
It was the Gunners' first home defeat in over 15 months and was made all the more frustrating as they were left with nothing to show for their dominance.
I was personally relatively happy with how the game had panned out after the opening 45 minutes, with goals all that was really missing from a decent performance. The lack of goals was far too costly to ignore and once again highlighted our inability to kill off games when on top this season. Jack Wilshere was also arguably lucky to stay on the field after thrusting his head into Marouane Fellaini.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was lively and Calum Chambers putting in an impressive performance at the back, while Danny Welbeck was working hard to create chances against his former club. But it counted for nothing when Welbeck and his fellow attacking players were so wasteful in front of goal. Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea deserves credit for an excellent performance but Arsenal still should have done far better in front of goal and their poor finishing cost them dear.
Restricting their opponents to merely shots off target in the first half was impressive but it counts for nothing when we couldn't score at the right end. What started as a positive performance ended with what became one of the most frustrating I have witnessed this season because of being unable to make our dominance count against what had been a fairly poor Manchester United side.
Louis Van Gaal's men, who secured their first away win under the Dutchman's leadership, do however deserve huge credit for showing great resilience in being able to leave London with a maximum three-point haul.
With Manchester United getting the victory, despite being on the back foot for large periods of the game, further criticism was thrown at Wenger with some fans wanting him to leave the club.
When asked how to see games through after dominating them, Wenger told his club's official website: "How you stop that is to be more efficient. That will be linked with confidence and the fact that we have to be a bit more calm and patient. At the moment we are after success and there’s a discordance with our possession, our chances we create and our result. It’s very difficult but we have to keep faith in what we do."
Wenger is right. We certainly do need to be more efficient whether it is through adding more new faces to the squad in January, a switch in tactics or taking the extreme measure of changing the manager. Many fans are losing patience with Wenger and, although I still want him to stay, it is hard to argue with some of those fans' reasons. Failing to kill off games and not rectifying the same basic mistakes is very frustrating and something has to be done about it and quickly.
I am still in support of Wenger staying in charge but I want to see one hell of an improvement in terms of converting chances regardless of the tough opposition in our next match against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
Whilst there were positive aspects to the performance against Manchester United, it is no good being able to simply 'talk about positives'. I'd rather be talking every week about three points regardless of whether it a great performance or an ugly win. We need to see games out far better!
After the impressive first half against Manchester United, I turned to an opposition fan at half-time and said the lack of goals was going to come back to haunt us. We had dominated but they were bound to get a goal out of nowhere....and that they did! Kieran Gibbs, who actually performance fairly well apart from this unfortunate moment, turned Antonio Valencia's cross into his own net after 56 minutes.
Arsenal were dealt a further blow when goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was forced off following a collision with Gibbs in the build up to the goal, with youngster Damian Martinez coming on to take his place.
The Gunners didn't then collapse as some may have expected and they continued to surge forward with attack after attack, but it was all in vain as still the goal wouldn't come. Wenger's men were made to pay for their poor finishing when Rooney raced clear to score with his side's first shot on target five minutes from time. Yes, it took 85 minutes for United to register a shot on target. It is an appalling stat but Van Gaal's side had the one stat that mattered - the result - in their favour and that's all that matters. In fact, it could've been worse for Arsenal had Angel Di Maria not missed a sitter shortly after.
Substitute Olivier Giroud came off the bench to make his appearance after three months out on the sidelines with a fractured to his left tibia. The French striker had only been on the field 13 minutes when he scored with a fine in stoppage time to give the Gunners a glimmer of hope.
Eight minutes of stoppage time were awarded to give Wenger's men further chance of a comeback, but they were unable to find another goal
Although Arsenal have done a lot right this season, they have also done a lot wrong to undo their hard work and it has proved costly with just 17 points from 12 games - their lowest total for 32 years.
It is clear that something needs to be done but I genuinely believe getting rid of Wenger isn't the answer. We need to spend wisely in January though, with a defensive midfielder, another defender and a striker the priorities for the Frenchman's shopping list in 2015.
As much as I usually back Wenger, he really must act quickly. We have been so near yet so far this season and it has proved very frustrating. With the exception of the odd one or two games this season, the ones we have dropped points in could've been prevented had certain basic problems, including defending at set pieces and scoring when on top in games, been addressed. We are just talking about small things here but these small things are turning into big things, so the manager needs to address them and, more importantly, the players must take responsibility and stand up to be counted, starting against Dortmund in midweek.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Sunday, 9 November 2014
Gom-is the hero for Swans
Substitute Bafetimbi Gomis came off the bench to score with his first touch as Swansea came from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Liberty Stadium.
With two of the most attacking sides in the league on show, it was surprising how lacklustre the first half actually was with very few chances from either side. The game livened up in the second half with Alexis Sanchez breaking the deadlock, but two goals in three minutes from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Gomis turned the game on its head and saw the hosts leapfrog their opponents in the table.
Before the match there was a comment from the commentators about how Arsenal topped the stats table in terms of possession and passing. So why on earth are we not winning more games? Although this was only the Gunners' second league defeat of the season, the London club have drawn five of their opening 11 games which is far too many. There is no point having so much possession if you're not going to use it effectively. Teams have learnt to stifle are nice passing moves better so we need a plan B. Whilst plan A is superb when it comes off, we really need to grind out more wins. At 1-0 up, we should have been a lot more careful in protecting our lead.
Don't get me wrong, Swansea are a tough nut to crack at home and have only lost one home league game this season (to Southampton) but these are the kind of games we really should be winning if we want to be taking seriously in the title race. Although I still back manager Arsene Wenger despite many seemingly wanting him to go even I, who can usually find positives in anything, was left bemused by some of his tactics. With one minute to go Wenger withdrew Calum Chambers and put on Yaya Sanogo. Yes, we needed to bring on a striker as we were chasing the game and desperately needed a goal. By why do it with just a minute to go and not a lot earlier? Also why bring on Yaya Sanogo, who has yet to score a competitive goal for the club? Lukas Podolski may not have had much game time this season but every time he comes on he looks lively and he would have been a far more suitable replacement. It beggars belief!
Whether it is finally Wenger's time (although admittedly I still stand by him) to go or if several big transfers need made in January, something has to change! I think if we can add two or three top class players in the right positions, especially a defensive midfielder, during the January transfer window, things could yet change for the better but these transfers need done in January and not later.
Back to the match, and in a rather tedious first half the hosts' best chance fell to Marvin Emnes but his tame effort was blocked by Wojciech Szczęsny in the Arsenal goal. Wenger had a few half chances but didn't really get going until the final minutes of the first half. Good combination play between Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Danny Welbeck almost helped the visitors to the opening goal but the latters' shot was well saved by former Gunner Lukasz Fabianski at his near post. Aaron Ramsey hit a sweetly struck volley just wide in first-half stoppage time as the teams went in goalless at the break.
Arsenal were quick out the blocks in the second half and almost scored in the opening minute when Alexis Sanchez set up Oxlade-Chamberlain but the England international's effort was easily saved by Fabianksi.
The visitors finally broke the deadlock after 63 minutes as Sanchez once again got himself onto the score-sheet with his 12th goal for the club. Oxlade-Chamberlain burst forward at tremendous pace before releasing Welbeck, who composed himself and controlled the ball before sliding it across for Sanchez to tap home.
The visitors should have been looking to build on their lead and see the game out but Swansea had other ideas and a quickfire double gave the hosts all three points. Gylfi Sigurdsson curled a delightful and unstoppable free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards with to level the scores with just 15 minutes remaining.
Arsenal barely had time to recover from that setback before they conceded a second goal just three minutes later. Gomis had only been on the field for two minutes when he scored with his first touch of the ball as the impressive Jefferson Montero crossed for the French striker to nod the ball beyond the stranded Szczesny.
The Gunners desperately needed to find a leveller in the closing stages but didn't create enough clear-cut opportunities. Sanchez continued to work tirelessly and tried his best to help the cause with a wonderful assist over the top, but substitute Theo Walcott's touch let him down and the chance went begging as Swansea held on for the win.
A very frustrating afternoon for Arsenal, who dropped down to sixth in the Premier League table, but the Gunners will have to wait until after the international break to put things right when they return to action for the visit of Manchester United. We will certainly need a much better performance in that game as we look to try and get our season back on track.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
With two of the most attacking sides in the league on show, it was surprising how lacklustre the first half actually was with very few chances from either side. The game livened up in the second half with Alexis Sanchez breaking the deadlock, but two goals in three minutes from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Gomis turned the game on its head and saw the hosts leapfrog their opponents in the table.
Before the match there was a comment from the commentators about how Arsenal topped the stats table in terms of possession and passing. So why on earth are we not winning more games? Although this was only the Gunners' second league defeat of the season, the London club have drawn five of their opening 11 games which is far too many. There is no point having so much possession if you're not going to use it effectively. Teams have learnt to stifle are nice passing moves better so we need a plan B. Whilst plan A is superb when it comes off, we really need to grind out more wins. At 1-0 up, we should have been a lot more careful in protecting our lead.
Don't get me wrong, Swansea are a tough nut to crack at home and have only lost one home league game this season (to Southampton) but these are the kind of games we really should be winning if we want to be taking seriously in the title race. Although I still back manager Arsene Wenger despite many seemingly wanting him to go even I, who can usually find positives in anything, was left bemused by some of his tactics. With one minute to go Wenger withdrew Calum Chambers and put on Yaya Sanogo. Yes, we needed to bring on a striker as we were chasing the game and desperately needed a goal. By why do it with just a minute to go and not a lot earlier? Also why bring on Yaya Sanogo, who has yet to score a competitive goal for the club? Lukas Podolski may not have had much game time this season but every time he comes on he looks lively and he would have been a far more suitable replacement. It beggars belief!
Whether it is finally Wenger's time (although admittedly I still stand by him) to go or if several big transfers need made in January, something has to change! I think if we can add two or three top class players in the right positions, especially a defensive midfielder, during the January transfer window, things could yet change for the better but these transfers need done in January and not later.
Back to the match, and in a rather tedious first half the hosts' best chance fell to Marvin Emnes but his tame effort was blocked by Wojciech Szczęsny in the Arsenal goal. Wenger had a few half chances but didn't really get going until the final minutes of the first half. Good combination play between Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Danny Welbeck almost helped the visitors to the opening goal but the latters' shot was well saved by former Gunner Lukasz Fabianski at his near post. Aaron Ramsey hit a sweetly struck volley just wide in first-half stoppage time as the teams went in goalless at the break.
Arsenal were quick out the blocks in the second half and almost scored in the opening minute when Alexis Sanchez set up Oxlade-Chamberlain but the England international's effort was easily saved by Fabianksi.
The visitors finally broke the deadlock after 63 minutes as Sanchez once again got himself onto the score-sheet with his 12th goal for the club. Oxlade-Chamberlain burst forward at tremendous pace before releasing Welbeck, who composed himself and controlled the ball before sliding it across for Sanchez to tap home.
The visitors should have been looking to build on their lead and see the game out but Swansea had other ideas and a quickfire double gave the hosts all three points. Gylfi Sigurdsson curled a delightful and unstoppable free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards with to level the scores with just 15 minutes remaining.
Arsenal barely had time to recover from that setback before they conceded a second goal just three minutes later. Gomis had only been on the field for two minutes when he scored with his first touch of the ball as the impressive Jefferson Montero crossed for the French striker to nod the ball beyond the stranded Szczesny.
The Gunners desperately needed to find a leveller in the closing stages but didn't create enough clear-cut opportunities. Sanchez continued to work tirelessly and tried his best to help the cause with a wonderful assist over the top, but substitute Theo Walcott's touch let him down and the chance went begging as Swansea held on for the win.
A very frustrating afternoon for Arsenal, who dropped down to sixth in the Premier League table, but the Gunners will have to wait until after the international break to put things right when they return to action for the visit of Manchester United. We will certainly need a much better performance in that game as we look to try and get our season back on track.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
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