Goal fest at the Emirates

 

Arsenal 6-1 Coventry

Another home game at the Emirates stadium and another 6-1 won for the Gunners as Arsenal began this season’s League Cup campaign in style.

As has become his custom during his time at the club, Arsene Wenger provided his fringe players an opportunity to impress; making eleven changes to the side that drew 1-1 against Manchester City. Three youngsters made their first team debut for the club, as the highly rated Argentine goalkeeper, Damien Martinez was handed his first start for the Gunners and although his services were largely uncalled for, Martinez acquitted himself well. While the industrious Martin Angha was deployed at right back and Serge Gnarby made a very impressive 20 minute cameo appearance.

Points shared at the Etihad

Manchester City 1-1 Arsenal

 

 

 

At the final whistle yesterday, Arsenal supporters were experiencing a range of emotions. There was great pride in a fantastic performance at the home of the Premier League Champions as well as the immense satisfaction of watching your side simply refuse to give in and ultimately achieve just reward for their endeavour. Yet there was also a tinge of frustration and disappointment as the Gunners created enough chances to have taken away all three points from the Etihad stadium.

 

Defensive stability the key to success

Montpellier 1-2 Arsenal

Under the guidance of new assistant manager Steve Bould, much has been made of Arsenal’s greatly improved defensive record. Four games into the new season and the Gunners have only conceded one goal, as a result of a goalkeeping error. At this stage last season Arsenal had already conceded 14 and were on their way to racking up an unprecedented 49 in the goals against column. The old frailties when defending against long balls and a tendency for being caught on the break were witnessed game after game by the frustrated Arsenal faithful, but Pat Rice’s retirement has signalled a stark change.

Steve Bould has greatly improved the defence

 

With Bould’s meticulous work on the training ground, there appears to have been a great transformation in the mind-set of the whole team. Gone are the days when the players would rush forward in gung-ho fashion as soon as the side had possession as well as that often lethal split second lapse in concentration when possession was lost. These damaging traits, which have cost Arsenal so dearly in the past, have been replaced with a more defensive minded attitude, as the whole team can be seen to be defending as one unit. Where before there were gaping holes for the opposition to exploit, now there is organisational strength.

 

This was particularly evident during the second half display against Montpellier in Tuesday night’s Champions League opener.

Gunners hit Saints for six

Arsenal 6-1 Southampton

Following the recent international break, Arsenal returned to Premier League action in sumptuous form on Saturday, defeating Southampton 6-1. It was as if the Gunners hadn’t been away, as they picked up right where they had left off in the 2-0 win against Liverpool, simply playing Southampton off the park. The visitors just could not live with Arsenal’s crisp one touch passing, with the home side able to link up so well with each other, often creating chances at will.

Nigel Adkins’ side did slightly play into Arsenal’s hands, as unlike Sunderland, in the first game of the season, they did not sit back and defend in numbers, in an attempt to grind out a 0-0 draw. Southampton in fact admirably adhered to their own attacking principles as more often than not, they opted to play the ball out from defence rather than lump it up to Rickie Lambert. The negative aspect of this tactic however was that the visitors played a relatively high defensive line, allowing plenty of space in behind for Arsenal to exploit and this coupled with the fact that in the first half in particular, Southampton tended to sit off the Arsenal players, was a recipe for disaster. With no real pressure being placed on him Santi Cazorla was able to majestically control the midfield, his piercing through balls creating havoc in the Southampton defence.

New boys sink Liverpool

Liverpool 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal came away from Anfield yesterday with a renewed self-confidence, as the Gunners produced a majestic display to record their first victory of the new season, with the added bonus of new recruits Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla. grabbing both goals.

Arsene Wenger’s side entered this game amid great pressure from the media, as journalists and football pundits alike had been quick to point out the detrimental effect upon the team’s attacking ability, rendered by the loss of Robin Van Persie. Goalless draws in the opening two games of the season had not helped either as the players still appeared to be adjusting to their new teammates. Yesterday however, the team gave a performance reminiscent of Arsenal of old.

Without the ball, the Gunners were calm, controlled and organised as they defended resolutely, easily dealing with any pressure placed on them by Liverpool.  Not once did Arsenal look to be in any real trouble, with Vito Mannone only being tested towards the end of the game through two long range efforts by Jon Jo Shelvey. That said it all really, as in contrast to last season, Liverpool were simply unable to get in behind the Arsenal defence to cause the Gunners any problems.  The whole team worked as one unit, with Podolski and Oxlade-Chamberlain working particularly hard to track the runs of Liverpool’s wide players. As a result, the away side were able to invite Liverpool onto them, safe in the knowledge they were more than capable of breaking down the home side’s attacks before striking on the counter attack.

Hard working Ox