Hull preview + Podolski's loan move

Good evening.

Starting with bit that has everyone's minds: Lukas Podolski has joined Inter Milan on loan. It will last till the end of the season, Inter will pay Poldi's wages in full, while Arsenal will receive around £2 million for this deal. I'm not sure there's a buy-out clause, but it's not the important thing right now.

The essence of it all is that Poldi's stint at the Emirates has effectively drawn to a close. He may or may not return in the summer, but I doubt he'll feature in a competitive game for us again. And it's a bit sad, really. Podolski is not a bad player by any means, in fact, he's our best finisher, but his main problem is that the German isn't suited to our system.

Poldi is not someone in Giroud's mould, he's not that typical centre-forward who can play with his back to the goal. As such, he'll always have Giroud and Welbeck in front of him. But he's also losing (lost?) the contest to play on the left, with the likes of Sanchez, Oxlade and the same Welbeck all preferred to the German. And that's the sticking point. All three, while not possessing Poldi's hammer of a left foot, contribute more to our game, by either tracking back, being better with the ball or just having electric pace.

In an ideal world, Poldi is best suited to a 4-4-2, which relieves him of his defensive duties, while also presents with more opportunities up front. But few teams rely on a 4-4-2 these days. Fewer still will accept one of their players not tracking back to help, even if we are talking about a striker. And so Poldi has become surplus to requirements. Could it have panned out differently? Maybe yes, had the German realised the importance of working hard in defense, but there's no telling. I wish him all the best, though, and sincerely hope he gets his chance to shine at Inter. He didn't get that chance with us, for reasons I've mentioned above.

However, while a move away is probably beneficial to the German and his career, I struggle to see in which way it is beneficial for us. In short, we've just lost a powerful weapon from the bench and, given our current dearth of options in attack overall, the timing of this deal is downright harmful. With all the whispers about Campbell's and Sanogo's potential loan moves, I would be not just surprised, but furious if we don't target a decent winger in this transfer window. After we've bought a CB and a CDM, of course.

All of this leads us back to the task at hand: Hull. The press conference took place today, so we have some bits to chew on.

Team news update

In short, we'll most likely have exactly the same squad (bar Szczesny) and that's genuinely scary. While some measure of rotation can still take place at the back, with Bellerin, Chambers and Monreal all healthy, the midfield and attack have a fat chance of getting some rest.

Of course, the official site says that Welbeck, Sanogo, Ramsey, Flamini and Ozil are all "doubts", meaning some of them can actually make it, this bit from the manager is terrifying:

"The two keepers, Ospina and Martinez, will come in. After that, we will see. I cannot rotate too much either because we need stability. Who comes back? We have the 18 players [that played against Southampton] - nobody else will play."

This gives me the creeps. It's obvious guys like Cazorla, Oxlade and Alexis are on the brink, in the red zone or whatever you call it, yet if they all have to play a 5th game in 14 days I'm not sure anyone will benefit from it. Not us, not them. Though Hull might.

The back four

Ospina will come in, while Martinez takes a place on the bench, so this bit we can be sure of. However, I think that, in case Ospina does well, we need to give him a run of games in the Premier League. This will serve the double purpose of showing Szczesny childish mistakes will not be tolerated, while also ensuring we have a calmer goalkeeper between the sticks. The one who doesn't have these frequent and rather damaging rushes of blood.

I would also rotate the back four. Chambers for Mertesacker and Monreal for Gibbs (both Mert and Gibbo has played a lot) and, depending on Debuchy's energy reserves, introducing Bellerin may also be a good idea. One of the few games Bellerin started this season was against Hull and the Spaniard did pretty well.

The midfield

Didn't like how Chambers looked alongside Coquelin, moreover, Calum will most likely be needed elsewhere. So Rosicky seems the best option. He's relatively fresh, and also happen to be a brilliant playmaker, so the Czech should play in central midfield, in my opinion.

Cazorla, meanwhile, must be bracing himself for another 90 minutes under the striker. There's a slight chance Ozil will return, but even if it happens, it'd be foolish to think the German will start after spending so much time out. An appearance from the bench is possible, but I wouldn't count on it.

The attack

Alexis needs a rest, pure and simple. He looked knackered against the Saints, moreover, I'm not sure CF is his best position. For now, at least. That's why I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for Welbeck or even Sanogo to return.

Assuming they don't, the only replacement we can offer is Campbell, It's either him as a lone striker with Walcott on the right or vice versa. And Oxlade comes in on the left to complete our attacking trio. Stupid, stupid Giroud.

The verdict

I honestly don't know what to expect from this game. All the talk of how we were not fulfilling our potential and should bounce back went down the drain two days ago. Then again, I don't exclude the possibility of that loss being a freak occurrence. It's hard to get 9 points out of 9 in such a busy period, so us getting 6 is actually not that bad. Chelsea has four, while United has five, for instance. The most most accumulated is seven. Nobody has nine.

But tomorrow we have to win. It's vital for our confidence, self-belief and psychology to do that. It's a home game, the first round of the FA Cup, to go out would be a catastrophe, one which can easily send us in a freefall. Give it your all, win it by hook or crook and then there'll be a nice long rest with Ozil, Ramsey and Co providing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Come on you Gunners.

And I'll be back with a review on the 5th.

Until then

Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin). And subscribe using a form on the right

Southampton 2-0 Arsenal: new year, same old story

Before I embark on a description of what has happened at St. Mary's, I'd like to say a few words.

You see, I'm a rather emotional man. In the heat of the moment I can say or do something I can regret in a couple of days, or look down on as downright madness in a week. It doesn't mean that I'm fickle or shape my narrative to suit someone's views. So if you'd like to know my opinion on a sensitive subject I have a vested interest in, asking me straight after if occurred is a bad idea. Wait a little while, then go for it.

That's why I rarely write match reviews the day they are played. I know I wouldn't be objective in the slightest and would likely see the world in black-and-white. But even next day or two days after the game I sometimes find it hard to be reasonable.

The matter of being objective wasn't helped in the slightest when I joined Twitter several months ago. There I stumble on all manners of opinions and, while I mistrust the extreme ones, the not-so-extreme are usually reasonable enough to sound plausible. And, as I'm following people with different philosophies, my judgement becomes clouded further still. I try my best to give a fair assessment of what I see, but don't hold it against me if I sometimes get carried away in the heat of the moment. Rather, check back in a couple of days and see if I'm still sticking to my previous post. And now, onto the game.

If there was a part of it I enjoyed, it was the first half an hour. We saw the most of the ball and, despite some warning signs (Pelle hitting the post, Mane almost getting on the end of a dangerous low cross), most will agree we dominated the game during that period. Sanchez could have opened the scoring with a distance effort, Oxlade's shot flew just wide following a clever backheel from Sanchez and some fancy footwork from Cazorla. The Spaniard himself enjoyed the best moment of the half, but his effort was too close to the goalkeeper. I felt that wasted opportunity could cost us, and it did.

I'd say I was surprised by the absurdity of the goal we conceded, but I wasn't. It's Arsenal. If I may slightly paraphrase The Beatles "Run up, run up for the ludicrous goal, step right this way". When it comes to gifting the opposition such goals we are the absolute champions. If there was a trophy for that, we would have been it's holders for a number of years.

Seriously, how can you leave any midfielder in any team with so much time and space to make a pass? But the way the situation was handled after that still makes me want to cry. Why did Szczesny race off his line, but then backed off at the moment it mattered most? Why didn't Koscielny put more pressure on Mane? Why Mertesacker failed to make a clearance being as tall as he is? How could Szczesny, Mertesacker and Koscielny fail to communicate and cover for each other? It was pathetic defending and, though Szczesny is to blame the most (doubt the goal would have happened had he stayed on the line), the sheer horror of the situation is that our supposedly best back four screwed up big time in a relatively simple situation.

The goal knocked the wind out of our sails completely. We could have conceded another before half-time, but this time Szczesny saved. There was a brief period of resurgence at the beginning of the second half and we could have actually been level, but Sanchez's shot was brilliantly parried by Forster. And the we conceded another.

Warden-Prowse put in a low cross and Debuchy intercepted it. The danger seemed averted as Debuchy was ready to whack the ball clear after a first touch, but then Szczesny intervened. He panicked, probably thinking Debuchy didn't have the situation under control and instead of letting the Frenchman finish the job, poked the ball away from him. It fell to Tadic and the latter smashed the ball home from close range. It was game over and we were in damage control mode since then, with Soton having at least three more moments to make it 3-0. Only a combination of Prowse's wastefulness, incredible luck and Debuchy's cool head prevented a third goal from going in.

And that's my biggest problem with yesterday's game. We gave up. With almost thirty minutes to go. There was no hope among the players, no desire to change the situation (bar, probably, the efforts of a completely knackered Alexis). This team has to backbone, no desire to fight back and this baffles me. It's beyond my comprehension.

These are basically the same players as last year, right? Bar Sagna, Fabianski and Vermaelen, these are the same players who topped the table for two-thirds of the campaign. Our defence was at least second-best in the league overall and definitely the best until early February. We didn't have the pacy Welbeck and Alexis, yet we were deadly on the counter. We didn't have Chambers or Debuchy, yet our ability to absorb pressure and keep opponents at arm's length was unmatched.

I fear that our problem goes beyond the injured players. Yes, we have a depleted midfield and attack, but it wasn't because of them we lost yesterday. It was because our supposedly best back five made a complete blunder of the situation.

Some has once again pinned the blame on the manager, but really, was it him who cost us this game? Yes, he could have brought on Campbell and Akpom (earlier), but ask yourselves, do you really think these two would have made a difference? As for Walcott, I have no words. Theo spent thirty minutes on the pitch and do you know what impact he had? A grand total of seven touches and five passes.

We need to somehow pick up the pieces and carry on. We play Hull in two days and I'd suggest rotation should be our priority. Both because we have a lot of knackered players and because I'm starting to really doubt the ability of some. Bring in somebody fresh and see how they fare.

That's it for now. Back tomorrow or on 4th with a preview.

Until then

Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)

Southampton preview: break into the top four

Hello everyone.

We play Southampton on New Year's day and a win will finally see us elevate to the 4th. Moreover, should United drop points on their away trip to Mordor Stoke, we'll either be on level points with the Devils or a solitary point behind. So a win can really improve our situation.

Team news

The news is mixed. Rosicky will definitely come back into the side, having been rested during our away game at Upton Park, but there is a doubt over Welbeck:

"We have an uncertainty about Welbeck, who came off with a thigh problem. I think he will be short for Thursday."

Not good, especially since Giroud cannot help us for two more games. However, Theo Walcott is fit to start, if needed be:

"Walcott is involved because he was already in the squad. Of course I judge him a bit short on the competition front but on the fitness front he is ready to play."

The situation with Walcott in interesting. He has been fit for quite some time, yet us still to make an appearance, even as a substitute. If he doesn't start tomorrow, then a start against Hull on the 4th will mean the first start for Theo in exactly a year. As you may recall, the last time Walcott made the first XI was on January 5th against Spurs, where he's torn his knee ligament.

Finally, none of Ramsey, Arteta or Ozil will be in the squad. No word was said on Arteta, Ozil only joined full training today, while with Ramsey the manager is being cautious:

"Ramsey is not available yet. There’s no setback but because he had a setback last year, we have to be very cautious with his thigh - he was out for three months."

I doubt any of the three will be available for Hull, but I quietly hope for all three to make it in time for Stoke. And now, the squad.

The back four

See what I did there? I just excluded the goalkeeper from my usual preview. Get used to it. Szczesny will play if fit and if it's not a cup game. On these occasions I may bring up the subject. For the Premier League and the Champions League, Chezza will start.

As for the defense, I think Gibbs will come in for Monreal and we'll finally see our best back four in action. We'll have the chance to rest Mertesacker or Koscielny against Hull, for now we need both. That means Chambers and Monreal should make the bench, and Bellerin, who is having his best year will likely be omitted. Ah, well. He did well when called upon this season and I'm pretty sure he'll still be involved, as we have a lot of games to play. We may see him in four days, actually.

The midfield

If it was up to me to choose, I'd play a trio of Coquelin, Rosicky and Cazorla. Both because Flamini needs a rest and because I've really liked how Coquelin looked against West Ham. He really outperformed Flam and should be given a chance.

However, as it is for Wenger to decide, I won't be surprised to see Flamini start and not Coquelin. The other two players should remain the same, though: Cazorla, who's having a stormer of a season right now and Rosicky, who was impressive against QPR. Of course, there's a slight chance of Oxlade being reinstated alongside Flamini, but given the absence of Giroud and (most likely) Welbeck, we may need the Ox elsewhere. So Flamini-Rosicky-Cazorla it should be.

The attack

Just how many lives Alexis has? More than nine, definitely, cause he again seems up and ready to start, with Wenger saying:

"Alexis is a guy who has a naturally quick recovery and he has a lot of energy available as well."

He played full games against Liverpool, QPR and West Ham and was spotted waving the manager off during our game against the Hammers. Arsene obviously wanted to take the Chilean off. Alexis protested and stayed on. If he now plays two full games against Southampton and Hull, at a time when he's used to break, I'd be well and truly amazed.

As for who he'll be partnered with in attack, it's hard to guess. I'd say Welbeck and Oxlade, if both are fit and fresh. In case they are not, the Walcott, Pododlski and Sanogo top my list of replacements. Walcott can be a natural solution for both the right winger and the central striker roles, while Sanogo is a good target man, should Arsene decide to utilise one. Podolski is unlikely to start in either scenario. Poor chap.

The verdict

Yes, we have obvious problems in midfield, but:

1. the state of our midfield is still better than it was was in our last game, with Rosicky coming in
2. we still managed to beat West Ham with that midfield and the margin should have been greater, in all fairness
3. the Saints have problems of their own, with Schneiderlin and Clyne both unavailable, due to suspension and injury respectively

As for our attack, we have the requisite depth to cover for Giroud's and (potentially) Welbeck's absences, while in defense we have everyone available (gotta be a first this season). On top of that, we had two encouraging performances in a row and if we can somehow merge these, we should be fine against the Saints.

So come on you Gunners.

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Finally, I wanted to say a couple of words on Podolski. The German expressed his displeasure at not featuring more regularly (once again) and rumours emerged linking him to Inter Milan. Arsene reacted adequately:

“There is only talks. Podolski is a player of Arsenal football club and I want him to stay. Apart from that, what it is to be professional is that as long as you are somewhere, you give your best to justify your wages and your love for the club. I hope that he will still be an Arsenal player at the end of January. Inter? That is a joke. Inter is not serious.”

That settles it. Podoslki can, of course, be unhappy with his current situation, but he's one of these players who provide depth. He can be devastating from the bench and to see Arsene put his foot down and do what's best for the Club is really satisfying. I'm pretty sure we'll discuss Poldi's situation more in the summer, when all parties will be better suited to say goodbye, but for now, he should stay.

That's it for today. Wishing you and your families a very happy New Year and I'll be back here with a customary review either tomorrow on in two days.

Until then

Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)

West Ham 1-2 Arsenal: a lively performance sees us get the points

I wrote before the game how we can find ourselves fourth if results go our way. Miraculously, they did: Chelsea drew with Southampton, United were denied a win at White Hart Lane and Burnley recovered from two goals down at the Etihad to snatch a point off the reigning champions. The pressure was all on us to deliver a performance and win the game. And we did just that.

The squad

Arsene's selection raised a few eyebrows alright. Flamini was paired with Coquelin in central midfield, Oxlade started the game wide, Podolski was benched again and Rosicky was nowhere in sight. Arsene later explained the Czech's absence:

"I just gave him a complete recovery today. When I took him off with 10 minutes to go against QPR he had cramps in the calves and in the hamstrings, so I didn’t want to take a gamble".

However, Koscielny's return meant we've finally been able to field a balanced back four and it was telling. Mertesacker looked much more his usual self, while Szczesny probably had his best game for us this season. Pity he was denied a clean sheet.

The first half

Whether because it was our second game inside 48 hours, the fact that we didn't have enough personnel in midfield or just because it was Arsene's plan all along, we started the game on the back foot. We surrendered possession and put men behind the ball to see what West Ham has to offer.

The Hammers gladly took the ball and tried hoofing it in the general direction of Andy Carroll, but our central defenders were on alert and reduced Carroll's time on the ball to minimum. There was still a heart-in-the-mouth moment when Song put the ball into the net, but this goal was disallowed, as Carroll was obstructing Szczesny's view of the initial shot.

We didn't see much of the ball during almost the entire 45 minutes, but when we got it back, we attacked with real vigour and purpose. One of such attacks saw Cazorla weave his way through a couple of defenders and into the box, where he was brought down by Reid. The ref pointed to the spot, Cazorla himself stepped up and sent the ball in the opposite direction to that of Adrian's. 1-0.

Three minutes later it was 2-0. Debuchy exchanged passes with Cazorla and then set up Oxlade, whose low cross found an unmarked Welbeck. The Englishman poked the ball home from a yard. We could even have been 3 up, but Alexis's effort following a corner was blocked.

The second half

It's fair to say we could have started it better, as we found our lead cut in half nine minutes into the second period. Tomkins was allowed to swing in a cross, Kouyate won the aerial duel against Debuchy and the ball ricocheted into the net off the Frenchman's back.

However, we didn't look fazed by that goal. On the contrary, we came flying out of the blocks and had several brilliant opportunities to make it 3-1. First Cazorla's shot was parried by Adrian, then Oxlade's header suffered the same fate, before Alexis's powerful effort was again saved by West Ham's keeper.

Another two brilliant chances were spurned by Welbeck. Though I have to add, both he created himself. For the first, the Englishman won a tackle in his own half, ran half the field and then fired his effort wide, for the second he capitalized to a loose back pass, but again his effort went over.

We could have been punished for such wastefulness, but a combination of luck (Valencia firing over with the last shot of the game) and good goalkeeping (Szczesny saving Nolan's effort) ensured we got the three points and ended 2014 on a high.

The aftermath

"We deserved to win the game. It was a typical committed, direct game where we needed to be solid in the air, take our chances on the break. Unfortunately when they came back to 2-1, we had five or six chances on counter-attacks that we couldn’t take, but overall everybody did the job very well, from the keeper to up front".

Arsene's take on our win. He also commented on Coquelin:

"He played very well, especially in the first half. He was very influential and then in the second half he fatigued a bit in the last 20 minutes, but he had a very good performance not only defensively but he also passed quickly, sharply and through the lines. Overall he had a convincing performance".

As far as I'm concerned, Coquelin did enough to demonstrate he earned his run of games ahead of Flamini. Francis was strong in the tackle, quicker in transitions than Flamini and he also looks a better passer of the ball. I'd pair him up with Rosicky for the next game and see how they fare.

I also really liked our defensive performance. Apart from a (rightly) disallowed goal, an actual goal and that very last moment, we gave away very few chances, despite West Ham enjoying 57% of possession and being a really effective unit at home. Of course, we had a rather conservative set-up, with our back four protected by two DMs, while our subs only added to our look, but you have to give our defense credit where it's due. We kept out Sakho and Carroll when every cross was heading their way!

This win sees us leapfrog the Hammers in the table. We are now fifth, level on points with fourth Southampton (who we play in three days) and a mere three points behind third-placed United. Roll on 2015.

And I'll be back with a preview in two days.

Enjoy the win

Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)

West Ham preview: a bit of rotation

Hello everyone.

It's West Ham away today you can't help but feel we'll see a few changes from the Arsenal side which faced QPR less than 48 hours ago.

Team news

Koscielny and Oxlade can both be back, though Arsene was pretty cautious about their respective returns:

"Koscielny has a chance, he will have a test tomorrow. He has a little chance. [Alex] Chamberlain has an even smaller chance."

While I doubt Oxlade will be risked just yet, Koscielny has been propped to return for some time, so I won't be surprised to see the Frenchman start the game. Arsene also touched on Walcott and Podolski:

"He (Podolski) hasn't played much this season and he lacks a little bit of competitive sharpness. He can only find it if I play him."

"Walcott was in the squad on Friday but it was difficult to bring him on when it was tight and we had to defend. He's not far away."

And of course, we'll have Giroud serving his three-game ban. With all that more or less sorted out, let's try to put a squad together.

The back five

Let's just agree Szczesny is our №1, shall we? It's getting a bit repetitive to state he'll play every time. He will play by default, but I still have to mention Ospina's return. The Colombian made the bench against QPR for the first time in several months, something that I've missed. Props up to Martinez, he was solid when called upon.

As for the back, I quietly hope we'll have our best one available. Debuchy, Mertesacker and Gibbs are definitely ready and so I expect them to start, only question is, whether Kos is up for it. If he is, then fielding him instead of Monreal is natural. However, we all know Mert has played a lot, so I wonder whether he should be given a rest and replaced by Chambers. One thing is clear: we'll need at least one senior centre-back, be it Koscielny or Mertesacker, so I'm pretty sure they won't be omitted simultaneously.

The midfield

We don't have much of a choice here, with Arteta, Ramsey, Ozil and Wilshere still injured. And though the first three can even be involved against Southampton, they are not ready just yet. And with Oxlade likely to sit this game out due to his groin injury, we only have three fit midfielders: Flamini, Rosicky and Cazorla.

And I'm pretty sure they will start. Despite Flamini and Cazorla playing quite a lot recently, we have no other option, but to start them once again and keep our fingers crossed they have enough petrol left in the tank to put in a performance. Hope Flam and Santi get their rest against the Saints, with Arteta, Ramsey and Ozil all close to full fitness.

However, I don't think it's a bad midfield. Santi has rediscovered his form, Flamini has been solid and consistent (although his contribution often goes unnoticed) and Rosicky was brilliant against QPR and is definitely fresh enough to play.

The attack

Giroud's suspension complicates things a great deal, but not as much as some would have you believe. It's a shame he's out, we could use his physical presence and the fact he's much fresher than both Alexis and Welbeck, however, it's not like we have no other fit strikers.

Podolski looks the best option to me. We can move Welbeck infield and use him as a target man, while Poldi will slot in on the left. He's full of energy, he is a great finisher and, moreover, The German has a good record against The Hammers, with 4 goals in the last four games. Bring him on, I say.

Also, I'd probably rest Alexis this time. Despite the goal and the assist, he looked less sharp than usual and this showed in a couple of erratic decisions on the ball and turning over possession more often than usual. Give the Chilean a chance to recoup and play him against Southampton on January 1st.

If Sanchez really will be rested, than Walcott is the most natural solution. Him starting is long overdue, besides, he also enjoys scoring against West Ham, netting a goal on last year's Boxing Day. Also, it'd be interesting to see how he links up with Welbeck.

The verdict

This will not be an easy game. West Ham always gives us a hard time, this year they look even more capable of doing so, while we haven't exactly been the model of consistency. The reasons for this are different and aplenty, from constant rotation due to injures to psychological issues.

However, I see no reason why we can't win this one, especially if Koscielny returns to the side. His mere presence has a calming influence on the defense, with his pal Mertesacker benefiting the most from it. And though we are a short in midfield and will probably have to win this one with those who start, it's hardly the question of a lack of quality. Flamini is, obviously, the weakest link, but that's not to say he is weak.

A win will see us leapfrog West Ham in the table and take up the fifth spot and if Southampton loses to Chelsea at the same time, we'll find ourselves fourth. What is more, Tottenham is playing Man Utd, meaning at least one side will drop points. Hope they both will and, in case we bag the three points at Boleyn Ground, we'll be a mere three points off third-placed United. So fingers crossed the results go our way today.

And I'll be back with a review tomorrow.

Until then

Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)