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Thursday, January 6, 2011

Arsenal 0 Manchester City 0

Talking point...Sagna and Zabaleta see red
Arsene Wenger summed up last night’s tepid outcome in the most appropriate words possible. His words:


“They looked to me like they were set up not to lose. You look at the time their goalkeeper took on the kicks or the times their players went down and tried to gain time. For me they were happy with 0-0”.


A game that started in the most promising and vibrant manner for us, petered out into a scrappy and eventually controversial manner as Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna saw reds at almost the conclusion of the game.
Despite hitting the woodwork after fine build-ups and shots from Robin Van Persie and Cesc Fabregas, we somehow couldn’t find and extra gear needed and allowed City to dictate the dull pace into which the game settled into.
We started with what is now almost the first team squad – the same lineup that beat Chelsea and Birmingham. All eleven starters justiufied the manager’s faith in thme as we pinned City back and could so easily have been 2-3 up in the first 15 minutes. We saw so much of the ball as City yielded the midfield to us and Song, Fabregas and the effervescent Jack Wilshire overran the City middlemen of Nigel De Jong and Yaya Toure.
The goals did not come though and instead, City only had the woodwork preventing them from conceding on two occasions. Second half was an even duller affair as City dug in the trenches and preferred to sit back and defend. Despite throwing on Andrei Arshavin and Nicklas Bendtner, we couldn’t break them down until things took a turn for the nasty with the double dismissal of Sagna and Zabaleta.


Below are the ratings for an unfulfilled night that rounded up our Christmas programme:

• Fabianski (7/10) – Kept a clean sheet for the second straight game, which is something of a record in itself. He was largely untroubled in goal as City spent most of the match defending.the one good effort they had at goal was a Carlos Tevez freekick which the Pole dealt with very well.
• Clichy (7/10) – Good game as well. Contained the threat of Tevez and James Milner very well. Had a running battle of sorts with Milner but not once was he at the receiving end of anything threatening.
• Djourou (7/10) – His he now confirmed as a starter over and above the bumbling Seb Squillaci? It looks so indeed. Wenger seems to entrust him with defensive organization at the back much more than the veteran Frenchman. He has matured indeed this season and taken his chances with both hands. Last night was another huge plus for his as he helped contain the dangerous Tevez and later Adam Johnson, when he came on. His non-effusive style is so re-assuring indeed.
• Koscielny (7/10) – It turned out to be a night for defences as we did as well as them in that department. The Kos was also clam and collected at the back and seems to enjoy playing alongside Johann. In the absence of TV, this pair must be our first choice. He hardly put as foot wrong and dealt with everything that City mustered in form of an attack.
• Sagna (7/10) – Another fine display from our all-action Frenchman but it was all ruined by that 88th minute altercation with Zabaleta that ended in red cards. He put in his normal, fighting-fit shift and hardly gave room to City’s Toure and Milner. On top of his game for sure and will now get a much needed breather over the next three games. Unlucky to have seen red.
• Song (7/10) – Did his defensive midfield duties perfectly as he put the trio of Yaya Toure and De Jong effectively in the shade. Covered acres of space with endless running and tackling. He surely, surely has attained dizzy heights in his game and is already a huge, important factor in our title charge this season.
• Wilshire (7/10) – Has enjoyed a fruitful spell alongside Song so far this season and flourished once more last night. Saw much more of the ball and used it intelligently as always. Was always available for a pass and gave the ball back effortlessly as well. Almost scored in the first 5minutes with a glancing shot with Joe Hart had to scramble away. Despite the result, he can be proud of his contribution on the night.
• Fabregas (7/10) – What else can be said about El Capitan? Nothing really and he living up to his lofty reputation comes so easily and naturally to him. Put City to the sword with his movement, vision and endless range of passing. Was unlucky not to score with his 34th minute shot hitting the post after leaving Hart for dead. He was no match for the City midfielders as he continually ran rings round all night. Clearly now, he is in the mood for a five-star performances as he seems to have gotten over his niggling injuries.
• Nasri (7/10) –Was also a thorn in the flesh for City. Ran at their defence endlessly and never shirked responsibilities to shoot. Picked up a knock early in the game but shook it off to initiate countless attacks. Unlucky not to have registered a goal.
• Walcott (6/10) – Caused problems for his marker, Jo – of all people! Did his best to keep the attack ticking over but was unfortunate not to have scored himself after hitting the post in the first half from an acute angle. Was substituted midway into the second half and the endless shake of his head showed he wasn’t impressed with the change.
• Van Persie (6/10) – Our Dutch enigma still hasn’t discovered his best form. Still feeling his way back into the game so nothing extraordinary is expected of him at this stage. Also hit the post after leaving City defenders for dead in the first half. His fitness and injury-free from will be crucial in the season run-in, so it is vital that he is not overstretched.






Substitutes
• Arshavin (6/10) – Came on in the 65th minute for an unhappy Walcott and plied his trade on the right wing this time. Did well actually in the short space of time he was expected to work wonders. At least last night, he couldn’t be accused of not showing desire.
• Bendtner (5/10) – He replaced Wilshire as we went in search of a late winner. The new father added little threat to the attack and if the truth be told, he will remain a bit-part player long as the likes of Chamakh and Van Persie are fit.



Monday, January 3, 2011

Johann is wily Wenger’s latest jewel


When Arsene Wenger allowed the bumbling Phillipe Senderos to go on loan to AC Milan at the start of season 2008-09, the obvious reason would of course be that it was prelude to offloading the big, shaven headed Swiss centreback. Senderos failed to impress at AC Milan and at the end of the season, he was back at Arsenal, unwanted by both the Gunners and the Rossonneri.
The latent and covert reason behind Senderos’s shuffling around though was another young Swiss defender    Johann Djourou. Wenger saw him as a much better player than Senderos and at that point in time, Senderos was higher on the team’s pecking order than Djourou. Notoriously faithful to his hierarchical system, Wenger is one of the few coaches around Europe who hardly tinkers with team line-ups match-after-match. Renowned for detesting buying sprees, he always prefers to run a tight ship; making use of a small, dedicated group of players all season and hoping for the best against things like injuries and suspensions.
In all his championship-winning teams, Wenger has always, always relied on a core of 15-16 first teamers who are entrusted with carrying the team throughout the season. Wenger has always invested a fanatical trust in his first teamers and only the emergence of a player with extra-ordinary ability can convince him to breach that trust and introduce such player into that core group of “special ones”.
A sports scientist wearing the garb of a manager, Wenger relies heavily on tonnes and tonnes of  technical mumbo-jumbo to assess his players before arriving at that core group on which his annual campaigns are entrusted with. Which is why he places a lot of faith in hierarchy.
With time on his hands and knowing he’ll never be fired if the team wins nothing at the end of each season, he concentrates on patient building and nurturing of players in an eternal process of erecting a jigsaw puzzle that the making of a team really is.
His hierarchical structure therefore is the be-all and end-all in his team building process. Gael Clichy was second to Ashly Cole for so long and only emerged as a first teamer after Cole left for Chelsea. Now, Kieran Gibbs is understudy to Clichy – preferred to another young hopeful, Armand Traore. Same applies to the right fullback position where Emmanuel Eboue is forever second-fiddle to Bacary Sagna. Manuel Almunia was also understudy to ‘mad’ Jens Lehmann for so long and Wenger was not prepared to alter the equation until season 2007-08 when the German started making blunder-after-blunder. That was the signal to promote Almunia over Lehmann and Wenger was faithful to the Spaniard despite heavy criticism of his performances.
It was only at the start of the current season, that he finally saw fit to relegate Almunia and promote his understudy, Fabianski.
Such methodical arrangement of course has its benefits because it encourages stability and disregards form which we all know can be fickle and fluctuates.
Heads I win...Djourou tussles with Arsenal's nemesis-in-chief, Chelsea's Didier Drogba
 Looking at the defensive side of things, though Wenger will not openly admit, but slowly he has promoted Djourou over and above Sebastian Squillaci despite the latter’s greater experience. It is a decision that may have a big impact on our season considering the performance of the young Swiss defender.
The starting line-up that filed out against Chelsea at the Emirates last Monday night, was the closest thing to Wenger’s first eleven. That is his dream team. The outcome of the game proved him right and confirmed his faith in those that started.
Djourou of course was part of that line-up and excelled as he has in all 12 games he’s played prior to the Chelsea game this season.After missing almost all of last season to a cruciate ligament knee injury, he seems to have come back with a vengeance to prove a point.
Three days later, when he was dropped for Squillaci, we saw how the defence gifted Wigan a goal that cost us two points. Guess who the scapegoat was? Poor Squillaci for the own goal he conceded under pressure.
Back at St. Andrews three days later, Djourou returned again and with him our first clean sheet in seven games! It wasn’t a coincidence. The youngman’s game has been on the up all season as his form has recorded a steady incline. In his first eight games for us this season, we never lost. I’m no way giving him sole credit for the team’s success in those matches, but a solid defence is always a reliable foundation on which wins are built.
Djourou so far this season has helped provide reassurance at the back. He has taken his chance with both hands since the enforced absence of the inspirational Thomas Vermaelen. The youngest of our four centre backs, he naturally would have been down at the ladder based on Wenger’s hierarchical stubbornness. But TV’s injury has opened a window for him and his performances have kept that window firmly ajar.
His composure and calm is in contrast to all around him. I particularly rate him in aerial battles where he uses his height well to intercept anything in the air. He, like TV, also loves bringing the ball out of defence and taking pressure off the backline. He hardly panics in any situation and unlike his departed compatriot Senderos, Djourou has anchored his style on reading attackers’ moves and nipping them in the bud before they strike.
Yet another jewel unearthened by the frugal Wenger? Surely yes and well polished too I daresay.


Birmingham 0 Arsenal 3



St. Andrews is a place where we’ve had nothing but grief in the past three seasons. A place filled with
bad memories for all Gooners. A place of frustration, anguish and broken bones – ala Eduardo Da Silva.
Saturday night finally, we banished all the years of pain and broken dreams on a rainy night at St. Andrews as we pummeled Birmingham before dispatching them 3-0.
As unfriendly as ever, the venue presented itself as a cold, miserable place with the rain turning the surface into a field of potholes.
Disregarding history and the elements though, Arsenal walked allover their hosts in a performance that oozed class as goals from Robin Van Persie, Samir Nasri and an own goal gifted us by the unfortunate Roger Johnson, enabled us depart St. Andrews with the three points for the first time since 2006.
It was a performance that restored pride after the same team that annihilated Chelsea was rolled out to do the business yet again.
We start the New Year on a very positive note with this win and as the league hits the home straight, the table shows us in third place – just two points behind leaders Manchester City and United – with our postponed game against Stoke in hand.
Yes, Man Utd as well have two games in hand, but who says we can’t overhaul them both with everyone fit and brimming with supreme confidence.
On a night that asked questions of the mettle of this team, they delivered – and with a clean sheet for once!

Target men...Van Persie and Nasri who both scored on the night
 Below are the ratings of our first game of 2011.
·         Fabianski (7/10) – Restored his reputation after the horror show at Wigan three days earlier. Clean sheets are a measure of how well the goalkeeper and his defence have performed and on this night, they recorded one in a long, long while. The Pole is now firmly established as our Number One after Arsene Wenger’s declaration on the eve of the game that Manuel Almunia could leave if he wanted. Baring any huge calamity now, the starting shirt is Lukasz’s to lose. He however did his case a world of good by blocking a goalbound Sebastian Larsson freekick in the first half and stopping everything thrown at him in the second half. I was particularly impressed with his punching and timing.
·         Clichy (7/10) – Was at his alert best all night and refused to allow Birmingham any leeway from his corner of the pitch. Didn’t do too much of his trademark overlapping runs but defending remains his primary duty and he performed without blemish.
·         Koscielny (8/10) – One of his better games since he joined us. Critics like to single him out for blame anytime we concede, but I rate him as a very good manmarker. He put every foot right on the night and frustrated the marauding Cameron Jerome all night, before the lone Birmingham striker was eventually substituted. ‘Kos’ is quite good in the one-on-ones and on this occasion, he was not found wanting.
·         Djourou (9/10) – My pick of the bunch in the defence. He outjumped the entire Birmingham attack and on a pitch which he called home some three seasons back, everything from the hosts was like meat and drink to him. Johann seems to enjoy a good partnership with the Kos and they clearly compliment each other far better than Squillaci does. Our young Swiss has matured in leaps and bounds so far this season and baring injuries, he will be a factor as we chase trophies. Picked up a knock late in the first half but recovered to marshall the backline and help silence the giant Nikola Zigic and another substitute, Alexander Hleb – remember him? 
·         Sagna (7/10) – Our tenacious French international is nothing if not a hardworker. Never gives anything less than 100% and Saturday night was no different. Ran his socks off as he tackled and shackled each of the Birmingham players that strayed into his territory. Found a lot of room as well to roam forward and deliver some tasty crosses. He is a handful indeed, this Bacary.
·         Song (7/10) – After his brilliant game against Chelsea on Monday night, repeating the same against Birmingham was like a walk in the park for him. He has really, really grown into one of the finest midfielders in the premiership and last night, he enhanced that reputation with another flawless effort. Tackled and harried the likes of Lee Bowyer, Barry Ferguson and Johnson with ease and still found time and space to spray some delicious passes. His all round game is very impressive indeed.
·         Wilshire (7/10) – His combo with Song is developing into a productive partnership. Jack, who turned 19 on Saturday has emerged as a force to reckon with in the heart of our team. He of course displays ability and awareness of a veteran and Saturday night was no different. Had the chance to mark his birthday with a goal after being teed up by Van Persie, but blasted wide.
·         Fabregas (7/10) – El Capitan returned from an enforced suspension to deliver yet another accomplished performance in a long, long list of accomplished performances. He was at the end of a hefty challenge from Johnson in the 6th minute, but emerged to dictate the game with his vision and ball control. He looks happier now as we march on and results continue to fall our way.
·         Nasri (7/10) – Not at his brilliant best, but in whichever form he is, the little French maestro is still a handful for defences. His tandem with Fabregas may well be the key to our success this season as they both enjoy a telephatic relationship. They combined with delightful one-twos for the second goal in the 58th minute, which Nasri scored to take his season tally to 13. At this range, it wouldn’t be out of place if he notches 20 goals by the end of the season. His endless movement and bag of tricks just puts him head and shoulders above anything Birmingham could offer on the night.
·         Van Persie (7/10) – Not back to his devastating best, but he’s getting there and such amounts of time on the pitch like against Birmingham surely helps. He scored a freekick for the first time in ages to give us the first goal and was involved in a lot of our attacks. His role as lone frontman on the night does not suit him perfectly but with the likes of Nasri and Fabregas providing support, he was never really alone. Did well all in all.
·         Walcott (7/10) – Didn’t score this time but wasn’t far from doing so. Troubled Scott Dann and  Liam Ridgewell with his blinding pace and in all modesty, he must be the fastest player in the premiership. It may just be that he has played his way into the starting line-up following his five-star showing against Chelsea on Monday night. Already, this has been a breakthrough season for him.

Substitutes
·         Arshavin (6/10) – Came on in the 76th minute for Walcott as we looked to close up the game and introduce some fresh legs. Almost scored with a fierce shot which Ben Foster did well to stop.
·         Denilson (5/10) – Replaced Wilshire and slotted in beside Song as a bulwark against Birmingham’s last-minute attempts to salvage something.