Arsenal qualify for knock out phase

Arsenal 2-1 Borussia Dortmund

Arsenal became the first English side to qualify for the knock out phase of the Champions League last night with a 2-1 win against Borussia Dortmund. That result coupled with Olympiacos’ win against Marseille means the Gunners will top the group regardless of the results in the next round of matches.

Dortmund, roused by their raucous supporters, began the match in positive fashion as they pressed Arsenal high up the pitch. This placed great pressure on the defence and in turn resulted in the midfield’s inability to maintain possession. Dortmund were excellent with the ball too, displaying short, fast, crisp passing as they mounted attack after attack. At this stage it was difficult to understand how this team had only managed to gain four points in the competition so far. However, and to Arsenal’s great relief, it soon became apparent that while their build up play is excellent, Dortmund’s finishing leaves much to be desired as Lewandowski and Kagawa both missed good opportunities. Arsenal’s best chance in the first half fell to Theo Walcott, after a wonderful through ball from Aaron Ramsey, however the Englishman could not round the Dortmund goalkeeper and the chance was lost.

The opening minutes of the second half again saw Dortmund create chances they failed to capitalize on and slowly but surely Arsenal began to impose themselves on the match. Crucially in the 49^th minute the home side took the lead through that man again, Robin Van Persie. Much will be made of the fact the Dutchman scored once again last night, however this goal owed much to the endeavor of Alex Song, who was simply phenomenal last night. The Cameroonian covered every blade of grass, made tackle after tackle to win the ball back for the Gunners and produced one moment of absolute brilliance to set up Van Persie. Surrounded by three Dortmund players on the left flank, Song managed to power past one and then weave his way between the other two before clipping a perfect cross for Van Persie to nod Arsenal into the lead. The Gunners were now in control and should have been two goals up when Ramsey’s interception released Gervinho. However rather than take an early shot, the Ivorian sold the goalkeeper a dummy, but at the same time allowed Mats Hummel to recover and steal the ball off his toe.

In the 86^th minute, Arsenal sealed their place in the knock out round as Mikel Arteta’s corner was flicked on, at the near post by Vermaelen, for Van Persie to fire into an empty net. At the other end Szczesny was disappointed not to keep a clean sheet as Dortmund grabbed a consolation goal with virtually the last kick of the game, through Kagawa.

Arsenal’s achievement in qualifying from hardly the easiest Champions League group should not be underestimated. While the fate of the other English sides in the competition still hangs in the balance the Gunners can now concentrate on the league and rest players in the final game against Olympiacos. Qualification also adds to the renewed sense of optimism around the Emirates Stadium, hopefully the recent run of fine form will continue against Fulham on Saturday.

Gunners record fifth straight league win

Norwich 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal recorded their fifth straight league win against Norwich on Saturday, but made hard work of it, as Robin Van Persie once again came to the rescue.

Having started brightly and creating chances at will, particularly through Theo Walcott’s incisive runs on the right, Arsenal could have been at least two goals ahead in the first fifteen minutes. Van Persie did not appear to be wearing his shooting boots during this spell as he squandered a host of chances, while Walcott excellently created space for himself on the edge of the penalty area, only to see his shot acrobatically cleared off the line by Norwich’s Russell Martin. Already frustration was building as Arsenal fans began to hope this would not be one of those days when we control the game for large spells but ultimately do not come away with the three points.

This fear was compounded in the sixteenth minute as completely against the run of play, Norwich took the lead through Steve Morison. A long ball forward (which over the years has been Arsenal’s Achilles heel) was not cleared by Mertesacker as he inexplicably took an age before deciding what to do with the ball, allowing Morison to steal in and fire the Canaries into the lead. Arsene Wenger appeared furious on the touchline, not at his defender but at the officials for failing to spot an apparent foul on the German. Although it is still far too early to make a definitive judgement, Mertesacker has failed to impress me so far. He appears far too slow for this league, his positioning is questionable at times and he does not command the penalty area with his enormous height. Wenger suggested after the match that in other leagues the defender would be given more protection from the referee in this situation, but for an international defender it was a poor mistake.

The team reacted very well following the goal; they could have felt sorry for themselves, but responded admirably, as they created a host of chances once again. Gervinho was denied by the goalkeeper, and Martin, when through on goal, but Arsenal just kept on going and in the 27^th minute were finally rewarded for their endeavour. Walcott brilliantly jinked past the Norwich left back and sent an excellent low cross into the six yard box, which Gervinho tried to turn in with an elaborate pirouette, but missed. Luckily for the Gunners Van Persie was standing right behind the Ivorian to apply the simplest of finishes to bring Arsenal back on terms.

Arsenal started the second half brightly but, as at the start of the first half, could not seem to apply the finishing touch to their sumptuous moves. Gervinho directed a tame headed effort straight at John Ruddy in the Norwich goal while Walcott also shot straight at the goalkeeper. However Arsenal were not to be denied and as Aaron Ramsey dispossessed Martin in the centre of the field, Alex Song hurdled his Arsenal team mate (who had been clipped by the Norwich defender) to power forward and play a perfectly weighted ball through to Van Persie, who exquisitely clipped the ball over the advancing Ruddy to give Arsenal the lead. It was a truly wonderful finish by the Dutchman for his 31^st league goal since January.

Van Persie lifts the ball over Ruddy to give Arsenal the lead

Although Arsenal remained dominant throughout the game, the fact they failed to score a third goal meant Norwich were always in with a chance of stealing a point. Nerves were gangling as Grant Holt’s disgusting attempt to win a penalty, in the dying minutes, with a blatant dive was rightly rewarded with a yellow card by Phil Dowd. Then a few minutes later the referee awarded a free kick to Norwich in a dangerous position, following another dive by the Englishman. However Arsenal held on to secure all three points and following Liverpool’s win against Chelsea, are now level on points with both these clubs. Considering the horrendous start to the season, the Gunners have done extremely well to be in this position after just twelve games. Long may it continue!

Gibbs and Jenkinson injured

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15787965.stm

Arsene Wenger today delivered some unfortunate team news following the international break. Both Kieran Gibbs and Carl Jenkinson appear set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Gibbs has undergone a hernia operation which will force him out of action for four to five weeks, while Jenkinson has a stress fracture in his back and has been advised to rest (for how long we don’t know, but you can imagine it is not a short-term injury).

The news of Kieran Gibbs’ injury is softened slightly by the form of Andre Santos, although the defensive side of his game is still questionable and must improve considerably. Jenkinson’s injury however is a significant blow, especially considering he had recently shown signs of great development, particularly against West Brom and coupled with Sagna’s injury it leaves Arsenal bereft of an accomplished right back. The manager has previously suggested that Johan Djourou can fill in here, but his lack of concentration at times can be a real worry (particularly his positioning which Chelsea exploited time and again in the opening minutes of the 5-3 win at Stamford Bridge). Laurent Koscielny is another candidate who could fill this role, however the last time he played in this position was seven years ago and in any case he is performing so well at the heart of defence it would be remiss of Wenger to remove him from the centre back role. If the manager opts for either of these central defenders to solve his right back crisis, Arsenal will not only suffer defensively but also in attack. One of the most impressive aspects of Jenkinson’s play is his willingness to get forward and support the attack with his wonderful crosses, something which Djourou or Koscielny will not be able to replicate.

In previous seasons I have seen Francis Coquelin perform extremely well at right, back for the reserves. He was strong in the tackle and his powerful forward runs provided the attack with the extra dimension that will be lacking in the absence of Jenkinson. However he struggled when deployed in this role for an FA Cup game away to Stoke in January 2010 and Wenger has since admitted that Coquelin is uncomfortable in this position. I would therefore look to the reserve team and Nico Yennaris. Although also primarily a central midfielder, he proved in the Carling Cup win against Bolton that he can perform well at right back, in fact his performance was excellent, winning every ball in the air and exuding confidence. The fact that he is naturally a midfielder will also help with the attacking side of the game which is an essential element of the modern right back role.

Arsene Wenger has a tough decision to make and with the notoriously congested Christmas schedule shortly upon us, it’s a decision which could well have a significant impact on Arsenal’s season.

Arsenal yet to hold Van Persie talks

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/8883098/No-Robin-van-Persie-talks-over-new-contract-until-next-summer-says-Arsenal-chairman-Peter-Hill-Wood.html

Peter Hill-Wood has confirmed the club will not even begin talks over a new deal with Robin Van Persie until the summer, when he will have only one year left on his contract. Does that scenario sound familiar? Clearly the board have not learnt anything from the Samir Nasri debacle last summer. Hill-Wood states it is the player who does not want to open talks with the club until then, but the fact “we are not troubling him” should send alarm bells ringing. This is the best player in our squad at the moment, a truly world class player upon whom so much of Arsenal’s future depends and we are not troubling him?

Apparently Hill-Wood cannot see any reason why Van Persie would not sign a new contract with the club. Well let me give you three reasons. The Dutchman is currently one of football’s hottest properties and therefore can command the highest wage available (he currently earns £80,000 a week while the likes of Tevez are pocketing £250,000). Then there is the fact that over the past few seasons Arsenal have sold at least one of their top players in the summer transfer window significantly weakening the squad, and finally the stark reality that the Gunners can no longer realistically compete for the major titles. Although he has been plagued by serious injuries since his arrival from Feyenoord, you cannot blame Van Persie for wanting to wait to see if Arsenal can match his ambition. He is in his prime and doesn’t want to waste his best years with a club that appears to be perennially in transition.

This is where Ivan Gazidis should come in and really earn his money. After years of frugality Gazidis should have plenty of resources in the bank to make Van Persie the highest paid player in the squad. Many argue that this will set a precedent and others within the squad will demand similar increases in their wage. But I believe it will act as an incentive, if you perform to the same level that Van Persie has been over the past ten months, then you will be in the same position as the Dutchman, reaping the rewards of your endeavor. Arsenal cannot underestimate just how important this deal is for the future of the club, to sit back and simply allow Van Persie to leave in the summer (which unfortunately I believe will happen) will be absolutely disastrous and could well sound the death knell for a team which was once proclaimed as invincible.

Arshavin issues ultimatum

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/8878991/Arsenal-midfielder-Andrei-Arshavin-warns-manager-Arsene-Wenger-he-may-leave-club-if-glued-to-the-bench.html

Andrey Arshavin has extraordinarily issued a ‘play me or I’ll leave’ warning to Arsene Wenger. The Russian midfielder, who has freely admitted in recent weeks that his performances since joining the club have not been good enough, is quoted as saying he currently feels glued to the bench. Well what exactly does he expect? When he first joined the club, Arshavin was a breath of fresh air, creating and scoring goals at will (netting four times against Liverpool at Anfield is no mean feat!), however since those first few months, the standard of his performances has dwindled significantly as his position in the squad has transformed from star player to liability.

When he is selected to play, he simply doesn’t look interested and doesn’t contribute anything to the team. His passing is wayward as he often loses possession far too easily and he hardly ever tracks back to help the team with its defensive duties. With him on the pitch, Arsenal are effectively a man down. Although you have to admire the candid nature of his interviews, as he recognises his performances must improve, we are still yet to witness this improvement. Supporting Arsenal these past few years has been extremely frustrating at times, but the sight of Arshavin surrendering possession, then sitting on the pitch for what seems an eternity has to be one of the most infuriating images I can think of. Yet this is the same player who scored those four memorable goals at Anfield, who scored the winner against Barcelona in that famous 2-1 victory and who terrified Bolton (albeit briefly) in the recent Carling Cup win. He therefore remains an enigma. One thing is for sure, if he wants to spend more time on the pitch than on the bench, he has to earn it through hard work and not issue ridiculous ultimatums. After all, on recent form, there aren’t many Arsenal fans who would shed a tear were he to leave.

Arsenal cruise to win

Arsenal 3-0 West Brom

Arsenal showed they are slowly but surely returning  to their best with an assured performance against West Brom as Robin Van Persie highlighted once again just how important he is to this team. The Dutchman scored the opening goal and set up two more to seal another three points for the Gunners. With Van Persie upfront, the rest of the team has a real focal point whom they have supreme confidence in.

The midfield for example can play the ball up to their captain, safe in the knowledge that he will most likely control the ball, hold it up and lay it off to a team mate. This gives them the confidence to make forward runs to support the attack as they do not have the fear of the ball being lost to the opposition and then being caught out of position. Consequently there are more options when the team attacks, providing more variety and stretching the opposition’s defence, creating more chances.

Carl Jenkinson's performances have improved significanly

Arsenal were always in control of this game, with West Brom clearly missing the services of Shane Long, Peter Odemwingie and Paul Sharner. However, you can only beat the team that is front of you and that is exactly what Arsenal did, restricting the Baggies to only one attempt on goal. Carl Jenkinson impressed me most yesterday. Thrust from league one, where he only played 10 games for Charlton last season, it has been a steep learning curve for the self-confessed Arsenal fan, as he has been forced to play more games than would have been expected. Although he has understandably struggled at times, he has always shown great heart and determination. His defensive work is improving all the time and his attacking play is generally very good, especially his crossing which is excellent. Playing alongside Vermaelen and Koscielny, he was part of a defence that looked assured and comfortable as they dealt with everything West Brom threw at them to secure a clean sheet.

The team as a whole passed the ball beautifully time and time again as they asserted their authority on the game to continue their recent fine run of form. The midfield of Song, Arteta and Ramsey interchanged excellently and controlled the centre of the park, while Gervinho and Walcott were not at their flowing best.  In the 22^nd minute a quick free kick from Aaron Ramsey sent Walcott clear, however he shot straight at Ben Foster in the West Brom goal. Luckily Foster’s save fell to the feet of Van Persie who simply couldn’t miss. Arsenal doubled their lead seventeen minutes later as Alex Song’s wonderful cross  was cut back, by Van Persie, into the path of Vermaelen who duly smashed the ball past Foster. In the second half Arsenal continued to control the game, keeping West Brom at arm’s length before killing off the contest in the 74^th minute through Arteta’s fine strike. This was due reward for the Spaniard who I believe has been a brilliant addition to the squad. He always appears so elegant on the ball, has a great passing range and shot and just as importantly, he does not shirk his defensive responsibilities.

Vermaelen celebrates putting Arsenal two-nil up



As we head into the international break Arsenal can reflect on improved performances and results in recent weeks which have placed them back in contention for the fight for a top four finish. Hopefully all the players on international duty will return without any injuries and Arsenal can continue to move onwards and upwards.

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Van Persie dilemma

Arsenal 0-0 Marseille

Following the excitement of Saturday’s win against Chelsea, Arsenal and Marseille played out a listless goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium last night. Arsene Wenger made three changes to the starting line-up with Jenkinson and Vermaelen returning to the first team and Ju Young Park selected ahead of the rested Van Persie. Although emerging from a double header against Marseille with four points is a rather satisfactory outcome, the manner of the performance last night once again gave credence to those who believe Arsenal are now a one man team.

Robin Van Persie is in the best form of his career at present, 33 goals in his last 37 games is a phenomenal record, especially when you consider this has been achieved playing in a team which has faced much adversity. It is only natural that the squad relies on such a player for that moment of brilliance which can unlock a defence to seal victory and the injury to Jack Wilshere has placed further emphasis on the importance of the Dutchman to perform this role. However the players should be mindful of the fact that this is not an excuse for them to hide behind the wonderful form of their captain, instead they should use it as inspiration and aspire to achieve Van Persie’s remarkable consistency. Without this, Arsenal will never be able to realise their full potential. Last night, in the absence of Van Persie, players such as Theo Walcott and Gervinho who were both brilliant at Stamford Bridge, did not step up and grasp the opportunity to prove they can take on the mantle of creative talisman for this team.

Although Marseille defended excellently, Arsenal did not seem to have any urgency in their play and in the second half especially lacked sharpness in the final third, squandering possession far too easily, with Gervinho in particular, being outmuscled on several occasions. Aaron Ramsey, who had also received great praise following his performance against Chelsea, failed to impose himself on the match and dithered far too long when set up in the first half, by Gervinho, allowing the Marseille defence time to recover and regain possession, instead of firing Arsenal into the lead. The absence of Van Persie was keenly felt with Park, in the lone striker role, becoming a peripheral figure as the game passed him by, effectively leaving Arsenal without a focal point upfront and the fans wondering, who can possibly replace Van Persie?

Chamakh has been woeful this season while Park needs time to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League, further emphasising Arsenal’s great reliance on their captain as has already been proved so far this season. Obviously any team would suffer were they deprived of their best player, how would Man City perform without Silva, Man United without Rooney or Barcelona without Messi? Yet what these teams do possess are alternative options that are more than capable of filling the gap left by their star player. The Gunners are far too dependent on their number 10 and soon opposition teams will simply try to mark him out of the game and effectively stifle the Arsenal attack. Therefore Wenger needs to invest in a striker who can fill Van Persie’s boots, because given his injury record the chances are that he will not be able to complete a full season and I fear it is also unlikely he will sign a new contract with the club. Arsenal therefore must have a contingency plan for the seemingly inevitable or face being labelled a one man team.