Hello everyone. Sorry for the hold-up, but I was way over my head with the exam.
Not a lot of stuff going on, but that's a feature of every summer, when actual football is on a thin. Luckily, the World Cup is not far away, while we also won't have to wait that long for a new season to start, as our first game is on August 9th. For now, there's still a part of my review I haven't covered, so I'll get right down to it.
Starting with:
League Cup
Our run in the League Cup was short-lived. We played a bunch of kids against West Brom in the first round, the whole affair was tedious and drawn-out, but we won it on penalties in the end.
Chelsea game was another thing entirely. We played at home and Arsene fielded a much stronger side, but a horrendous mistake from Jenkinson, followed by a brilliant strike from Mata ensured Chelsea was 2-0 up shortly after the restart. The Blues then did what they do so well, namely: parked the bus and this, coupled with our overall inability to attack on the day contributed to Arsenal crashing out of the cup very early.
Despite the fact, that no one likes to see their team lose, I still maintain that having one less tournament to play in was an advantage in the long run. Teams with bigger squads may argue, but we do not (at this moment) belong to such teams.
Champions League
Well, just as skies seemed to be getting clearer with that stadium debt paid off and the signing of Mesut Ozil to back up our ambitions, we landed right into the Group of Death. For a team as strong as Arsenal (we were seeded 6th in the first basket) to be paired up with Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Marseille is something extraordinary. I cannot remember us having to face such tough rivals at such an early stage for at least ten years. There was little we could do about this however.
Arsenal started their campaign in flying colours, by acquiring three important points in France and then convincingly beating Napoli at the Emirates. I home win against Borussia in the next game would have almost ensured our qualification. But suddenly, we lost.
We can analyse the reasons behind it all we want, but bottom line is this: any top team stands a decent chance of beating any top team in a single game. Borussia capitalized on our mistakes and we were no longer masters of our destiny in the group.
However, all of that changed in the next round. Wilshere's brace ensured we got the points against a hapless Marseille, while Napoli's win meant a draw against the Italians in the last game would see us qualify from the top spot no matter what. Did we get it? No.
We've lost again, resoundingly and were actually hanging by a thread when the final whistle blew. Had we lost 3-0, Napoli would have got through instead of us.
Our loss meant second place, which, in it's turn, meant facing Barcelona, Real, Atletico, Bayern Munich or PSG. Who did we get? Probably the worst possible option. Our last-year's German buddies, Bayern Munich.
I was positive going into this tie, but it lasted for only half an hour or so of the first match (at the Emirates). We started greatly, could have scored, then Ozil missed the penalty. We were pinned back shortly after that, Szczesny was wrongly sent off after Robben's dive and the game was ruined. Still, we could have lost only 1-0 (a positive result under these circumstances), but for a needless mistake in the dying minutes, which allowed Muller to head home a second.
The second game was rather tedious. With a squad once again crippled by injures, we were forced on the back foot at the Allianz Arena. We held on for fifty minutes, conceded, equalised a minute later (with a controversial goal from Poldi) and then tried to score a second, but in vain. We just didn't have enough firepower to break down Bayern and, but for a late save from Fabianski, could have actually lost the game.
It's not the first time we've suffered from bad refereeing in Europe, but the problem isn't solely the refs. We should learn not to be that brittle and susceptible to changing circumstances and try and win matches when the odds are stacked against us. Just look at Chelsea. I don't like their style of play, their manager and most of their players, but they know how to grind out results.
Premier League
Our league season started in the worst way possible: a loss at home to the definite outsider. However, it would be our last major blip till the loss to a dismantled Manchester United, who tried and failed to find any kind of form all season. In-between (till the end of January, truth be told) we were near flawless, the definite high point being a 2-0 win over Liverpool, when Suarridge duo was at it's finest. It was a win that encapsulated everything good about this Arsenal side: outstanding defending, brilliant explosiveness on counter-attacks and clinical finishing.
Arsenal sustained their form till early February and then our downfall started, ironically, with a loss to Liverpool. We then suffered heavy defeats to Chelsea and Everton, only to regain our form for the final five games to end up just seven points off the top and leave Everton far behind.
Again, it's up to debate, why we've faired as badly as we did. The manager writes it down to injures and, while having Ramsey, Ozil, Wilshere and Walcott out do not help you in any way, I tend to think the reason is more psycological than anything else. No one expected us to be where we were in February and, as soon as the squad realised there is a real chance to win the league, they've lost all their confidence. I simply refuse to believe there's such a gulf in quality between us, City, Chelsea and Liverpool, that we can lose to them in such a way. Hopefully, now that the trophy monkey is off our backs, the squad will perform a little more mature in the league next season.
FA Cup
Glorious. Gorgeous. Splendid. Though, at times, nervy, gut-wrenching and hair-pulling.
Our run was one of the hardest in my memory. Tottenham, Coventry (meh), Liverpool, Everton and Wigan+Hull to top it all off.
While we've beaten Tottenham and Coventry in a convincing fashion, everyone else pushed us to the limit. We've played Liverpool a week after that demolishing at Anfield, then a very capable Everton on a good run, and then Wigan, when we were at the threshhold of our confidence. The Latics' game was especially insides-churning, as we came within 8 minutes of going out. But in the end an exhausted Arsenal side got a win on penalties, largely thanks to Fabiansk's heroics.
And the final. A typically Arsenal game. An atrocious start, a monumental effort to get back to level tems and then a glorious winning goal in extra time.
This win was what separated a successful season from a failure and we made it successful.
Phew, that's it. I'll be back as soon as something new and exciting happens.
Until then, take care
Not a lot of stuff going on, but that's a feature of every summer, when actual football is on a thin. Luckily, the World Cup is not far away, while we also won't have to wait that long for a new season to start, as our first game is on August 9th. For now, there's still a part of my review I haven't covered, so I'll get right down to it.
Starting with:
League Cup
Our run in the League Cup was short-lived. We played a bunch of kids against West Brom in the first round, the whole affair was tedious and drawn-out, but we won it on penalties in the end.
Chelsea game was another thing entirely. We played at home and Arsene fielded a much stronger side, but a horrendous mistake from Jenkinson, followed by a brilliant strike from Mata ensured Chelsea was 2-0 up shortly after the restart. The Blues then did what they do so well, namely: parked the bus and this, coupled with our overall inability to attack on the day contributed to Arsenal crashing out of the cup very early.
Despite the fact, that no one likes to see their team lose, I still maintain that having one less tournament to play in was an advantage in the long run. Teams with bigger squads may argue, but we do not (at this moment) belong to such teams.
Champions League
Well, just as skies seemed to be getting clearer with that stadium debt paid off and the signing of Mesut Ozil to back up our ambitions, we landed right into the Group of Death. For a team as strong as Arsenal (we were seeded 6th in the first basket) to be paired up with Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Marseille is something extraordinary. I cannot remember us having to face such tough rivals at such an early stage for at least ten years. There was little we could do about this however.
Arsenal started their campaign in flying colours, by acquiring three important points in France and then convincingly beating Napoli at the Emirates. I home win against Borussia in the next game would have almost ensured our qualification. But suddenly, we lost.
We can analyse the reasons behind it all we want, but bottom line is this: any top team stands a decent chance of beating any top team in a single game. Borussia capitalized on our mistakes and we were no longer masters of our destiny in the group.
However, all of that changed in the next round. Wilshere's brace ensured we got the points against a hapless Marseille, while Napoli's win meant a draw against the Italians in the last game would see us qualify from the top spot no matter what. Did we get it? No.
We've lost again, resoundingly and were actually hanging by a thread when the final whistle blew. Had we lost 3-0, Napoli would have got through instead of us.
Our loss meant second place, which, in it's turn, meant facing Barcelona, Real, Atletico, Bayern Munich or PSG. Who did we get? Probably the worst possible option. Our last-year's German buddies, Bayern Munich.
I was positive going into this tie, but it lasted for only half an hour or so of the first match (at the Emirates). We started greatly, could have scored, then Ozil missed the penalty. We were pinned back shortly after that, Szczesny was wrongly sent off after Robben's dive and the game was ruined. Still, we could have lost only 1-0 (a positive result under these circumstances), but for a needless mistake in the dying minutes, which allowed Muller to head home a second.
The second game was rather tedious. With a squad once again crippled by injures, we were forced on the back foot at the Allianz Arena. We held on for fifty minutes, conceded, equalised a minute later (with a controversial goal from Poldi) and then tried to score a second, but in vain. We just didn't have enough firepower to break down Bayern and, but for a late save from Fabianski, could have actually lost the game.
It's not the first time we've suffered from bad refereeing in Europe, but the problem isn't solely the refs. We should learn not to be that brittle and susceptible to changing circumstances and try and win matches when the odds are stacked against us. Just look at Chelsea. I don't like their style of play, their manager and most of their players, but they know how to grind out results.
Premier League
Our league season started in the worst way possible: a loss at home to the definite outsider. However, it would be our last major blip till the loss to a dismantled Manchester United, who tried and failed to find any kind of form all season. In-between (till the end of January, truth be told) we were near flawless, the definite high point being a 2-0 win over Liverpool, when Suarridge duo was at it's finest. It was a win that encapsulated everything good about this Arsenal side: outstanding defending, brilliant explosiveness on counter-attacks and clinical finishing.
Arsenal sustained their form till early February and then our downfall started, ironically, with a loss to Liverpool. We then suffered heavy defeats to Chelsea and Everton, only to regain our form for the final five games to end up just seven points off the top and leave Everton far behind.
Again, it's up to debate, why we've faired as badly as we did. The manager writes it down to injures and, while having Ramsey, Ozil, Wilshere and Walcott out do not help you in any way, I tend to think the reason is more psycological than anything else. No one expected us to be where we were in February and, as soon as the squad realised there is a real chance to win the league, they've lost all their confidence. I simply refuse to believe there's such a gulf in quality between us, City, Chelsea and Liverpool, that we can lose to them in such a way. Hopefully, now that the trophy monkey is off our backs, the squad will perform a little more mature in the league next season.
FA Cup
Glorious. Gorgeous. Splendid. Though, at times, nervy, gut-wrenching and hair-pulling.
Our run was one of the hardest in my memory. Tottenham, Coventry (meh), Liverpool, Everton and Wigan+Hull to top it all off.
While we've beaten Tottenham and Coventry in a convincing fashion, everyone else pushed us to the limit. We've played Liverpool a week after that demolishing at Anfield, then a very capable Everton on a good run, and then Wigan, when we were at the threshhold of our confidence. The Latics' game was especially insides-churning, as we came within 8 minutes of going out. But in the end an exhausted Arsenal side got a win on penalties, largely thanks to Fabiansk's heroics.
And the final. A typically Arsenal game. An atrocious start, a monumental effort to get back to level tems and then a glorious winning goal in extra time.
This win was what separated a successful season from a failure and we made it successful.
Phew, that's it. I'll be back as soon as something new and exciting happens.
Until then, take care