Gold for Szczesny?

Morning everyone.

Days drag by in a quiet atmosphere as we are approaching the final league game. Still, there was an interesting interview from Szczesny on Monday and I thought it worth dissecting. A nice change from all the talk about how we should pick ourselves up after losses, or about our greatness after wins.

First things first, the Pole is on course to get the Golden Glove. Up until two days ago I didn't even knew such a thing existed, but here you go. In case any of you are still in the dark (like I was), Golden Glove is a prize a goalkeeper gets for the most clean sheets (league only) in one season.

Turns out Szczesny had accomplished his 16th game without conceding on Sunday and this result allowed the Pole to match Cech's record. As the Blues keeper is out for the remaining fixture, the fate of the prize is in Szczesny's hands (quite literally).

I think it'll be very nice should he get it. There were some atrocious results down the season (it was hard to blame our goalie for any of them), but the main feature of this Arsenal side during 2013-2014 was consistently good defending. Apart from the four beatings (and I know it's a lot), there were just 2-3 occasions, when we've conceded more than once in a single game. Much of this is down to Szczesny.

It's always hard to recall important saves, but the ones from Cardiff (when we were 1-0 up) and Hull (same story) spring to mind. Szczesny was able to step it up and that was the difference in a number of games. The difference between 3 points and 1, 1 point and 0.

Back to his interview, however, and there were some interesting remarks there. Starting with:

"I think it's good to sign off with a win and sign off in front of our fans but with two games to go we had nothing to play for at home and I think we shouldn't really be in that position. We should be fighting for the title".

Absolutely right. There are reasons behind our failure to be title contenders till the end (psychological breakdown being my favourite), but when a team as good as Arsenal has nothing to fight for for two games, it just shows we've underperformed. Again.

"I never considered fourth place before the start of the season as a successful season and a good position. I play for Arsenal Football Club because I want to win the title every year".

Our greatness has faltered down the years (hope we can rectify that by clinching the FA Cup this season), but Szczesny is right again. Though no one could have predicted United's fall from grace and Liverpool's success story back in August, no Arsenal fan would have said fourth is what we should be fighting for. Finishing fourth is one thing, naming it our goal is another. Something the Pole acknowledges:

 "Obviously at some point, when you lose games and you lose the chance to fight for the title, then the new challenge is to secure the Champions League spot and that was the aim this season, but I wouldn't have taken it before the season".

He then goes to show the silver lining for all Arsenal fans, but for me it's the bit about dropped points that is more important:

 "We dropped some important points and lost games and had to finish fourth when we weren't probably the favourites to finish fourth. At least we managed to do that for our fans and hopefully we'll manage to get the FA Cup for them."

Thing is, I'm not as sure as the manager (or the players) that we've lost the title in big games. I've written back in December how it's much more important to beat lesser teams, so that when (and if) we take a beating from one of the big boys, it won't be crippling to our title bid. Just look at the table. We are five points of Liverpool and can be only seven behind potential leaders City. Had we won against Swansea, Stoke and, say, Southampton, we would be level with league leaders. How's that?

Finally, Szczesny also touched on potential transfers:

"It didn't happen for us this year but one thing we have learned is that that we are good enough to challenge next year, and hopefully add a little bit more strength as well with a couple of new players coming in".

 Another player goes on record to state we need acquisitions to uphold our title aspirations. Arsene has said only two to three players need to be added, but then he also spoke these would be "on top" of an existing consistent squad. The same squad that will most likely part ways with Sagna and Fabianski, while Viviano, Vermaelen, Arteta and Podolski could all join them. That means a maximum five (!) players have to be brought in to replace the ones that left. Plus the 2-3 for strengthening. Do you think Wenger will buy 7-8 players even if he had enough money? I somehow don't think so.

That's it for today, I'll most likely be back for a preview of our last league game.

Until then

 

Arsenal 1-0 West Brom: solid, but unspectacular

Yesterday's game wasn't all that interesting, so I'm gonna break my thoughts in paragraphs. Starting with:

Arsenal's attacking display

From the very beginning, only one team tried to play football and it was Arsenal. We knew since before the kick-off our CL place next season was a done deal (due to City beating Everton on Saturday), yet we cared more about our performance than the Magpies did about theirs. Mathematically they were not safe, but this fact didn't seem to bother the Baggies in the slightest.

Anyway, we were on the front foot and it paid off in the 16th minute. Cazorla sent in a cross from a corner, Giroud got to the ball first, despite being held back vigorously, and headed home his 16th league goal.

We could have gone 2-0 up several times, most notably when Ozil fired wide after being put through by Giroud and then when Poldi hit the bar. In the end, it didn't matter, cause West Brom just weren't interested in getting an equaliser.

Ozil, Sagna

Both were our most effective players on the day, the latter working his socks off on the right flank, the former masterminding our attacks through the middle and (occasionally) shifting to the left to create an overload. A moment I remember Ozil for was a through ball to Podolski. It was a hard pass to pull off, Mesut made it look easy. Just the man you want to be on the ball at such moments.

Truth be told, I was impressed by the amount of work Ozil did. He was highly influential for the entire game and showed what we've missed in him during February and March. There's more to come from the German, I'm sure of it.

Fabianski, Sagna (again), Vermaelen, Arteta, Kallstrom

This is a crop of players we're unlikely to see next season. All of them (bar the Pole, for obvious reasons) were given run-outs and were all warmly welcomed by the crowd.

This is what Arsene said on Sagna and Fabianski:

"I want him (Sagna) to stay and I hope that convinces him that we love him here and he will stay. We have two players here who are at the end of their contracts, Sagna and Fabianski. If it was down to me, they both stay".

Not just down to him, unfortunately, so I hope they'll be given a proper farewell at Wembley.

On Kallstrom:

"He is on loan, so he belongs to Moscow and will go back to Moscow".

Fair's fair, though I harboured a small hope that the Swede will stay. Him returning to Moscow is going to make our midfield that bit shallower. As if we didn't have problems enough in other areas of the pitch.

No word has been said on Vermaelen and Arteta, but the former got a suspicious run-out, while the latter has been mentioned too often for my liking.

With the Belgian, it's clear as day. If he leaves, that's because he doesn't get enough playing time. 

With Arteta, not so much. He's a regular starter, a de-facto captain and I can only see one reason behind the talk: his age. Arteta is not young anymore and that can be a factor. We all know the manager's reluctance to sign on 30+ players. They usually go year-by-year, even Bergkamp did.

The two musketeers

I'm talking about Giroud and Wenger himself. Arsene was quizzed about not bringing another striker, this was his response:

"No the regret is not there because we missed offensive players at an important part of the season. The solution is not always outside, the solution is as well inside your club where the disadvantage of having many injuries is you always have to play the same players. Then of course they score less goals because they are a bit jaded".

Personally, I don't have a problem with Giroud. With 22 goals and at least 8 assists he proved a vital cog in our machine and, had it not been for his contribution, we would have been so much worse off. The Frenchman has suffered from Walcott's and Ramsey's absence, but still fought to the best of his abilities. Having an alternative to him could have helped, but it is what it is.

Arsene, meanwhile, was asked about whether he will sign a new deal, to which he replied:

"Yes. I don't know [when I will sign a new deal]. I told you many times that my word is my word. i am from a period where you did not need a pen to commit".

Strangely, he also said his decision wasn't riding on FA Cup success, but rather on securing CL football:

"It is not linked [with the FA Cup final] at all. It was important to be in the Champions League, that is for sure. I have told you many times it is not linked the fact I feel I am useful".

I don't think it's right. Champions league is Champions league, we've qualified for the 18th consecutive season, but only a cup win will represent a step-up. If we don't win it, no visible improvement will have been achieved. Points tally doesn't count, unless it brings some silverware with it. So Wenger's future should depend on how we fare in the final.

That's it for today. More later

West Brom preview: over the line

Morning everyone.

It's been a rather quiet few days, but with another bout of Premier League games coming up news came flooding back.

Regarding team news, there isn't much. Everyone who played against Newcastle is available, no one is coming back. Oxlade is being rested with a groin inflammation, Wilshere has only just joined the main group. Both face a race against time to make it to the final of the FA Cup. Gibbs was described as "very, very close" to full fitness, but short for tomorrow game, while Gnabry seems forgotten altogether.

The real worry we have, however, is Sagna. Apparently, the Frenchman has injured his knee in training and is a 50/50 for Sunday. As it's very likely Sagna's last home game in an Arsenal shirt, I do hope he makes it. If not, there'll still be the game at Wembley, though it's not exactly the same thing.

Pressed on the matter of a contract for our right-back, Wenger stated it's now down to Bac to decide and that's saying a lot. Earlier there was the frustration from the fans, who thought it was the Club penny-pinching again, but at this point it's safe to assume the Frenchman just doesn't want to renew his contract. There were several (improved) offers from Arsenal, all of them were turned down, so we should accept that sometimes it's not about the money and move on. And find a suitable replacement in the summer.

Back to team selection and I don't think we are likely to see a much-changed side, even if Everton drops points today. It is our last home game and everyone wants a win, regardless of whether our table goals are accomplished or not. The cup game is two weeks away, giving the players plenty of time to recover and the manager will be able to rotate in the last league game, if he so chooses. No one will begrudge him a couple of changes in an away game, should by that time we secure the 4th spot.

But not tomorrow. Field the strongest side, get the win, entertain the crowd, do a lap of honour (with Sagna in the lead), then go relax. That's not to say we should lose to Norwich in a week, but that game is definitely less important.

From West Brom's point of view, they are four points above the relegation zone with a game in hand and have almost assured Premier league football next season. Realistically, the Magpies are safe, mathematically not and as such they may put up a fight.

Can we be robbed of points? We probably can, so no lapse of concentration should be allowed. Just treat it like another league game.

In other news, there's been a lot of talk about transfers, Arsene had said we'll be busy, but, because of the World Cup, things will probably start happening at around mid-June. Considering how much needs to be done, I'd rather we started earlier. Straighten out the paperwork in June and bring everyone in right after the World Cup. There's more than thirty days between now and the tournament, plenty of time to add to our squad.

Among everyone who's been linked with us, Fabregas was mentioned. It's hard to tell, whether there's any truth to that, but if the Spaniard is for sale, I'd love to see him return. Yes, we have plenty of quality in midfield, but as I've said before, Rosicky and Arteta aren't getting any younger, same goes for Kallstrom. Of course, the Swede may (and probably will) leave at the end of his spell, but that also won't do us any good, at least number-wise.

And then, just imagine a trio of Fabregas, Ramsey and Ozil in the middle of the park. Glorious.

Anyway, I think I'm getting carried away. There'll be time enough to discuss all the transfer rumours between mid-May and September 1st. Right now, there's still work on the pitch to do.

Starting tomorrow

Arsenal 3-0 Newcastle: nine in three

Morning everyone.

Yesterday we've won yet again and the game played out the way it did against Hull City. Only easier. Much easier.

It's not often that both my predictions and hopes for a game come true and that's because it's in the very nature of the game to be unpredictable. If everything was preplanned, the same teams would win tournaments over and over again and the game would have lost its allure to many. Who would want to watch an encounter, when they know their team will take a beating?

However my bets paid off last night. Arsenal have won comfortably, Newcastle was listless and not in the mood to even try and come back into the game after conceding the second goal, and Pardew was mocked by his own fans.

Arsene named an unchanged starting eleven (it's the best we have, in my opinion) and the only alteration was Vermaelen for the Ox on the bench. Quite why the Englishman didn't make it, I cannot tell, but it's likely he has a slight knock. Oxlade did watch the game, however, but only from the stands.

Both teams started in a cautious  manner, with Arsenal on the ball and Newcastle sitting deep and fending off the Gunners attacks. We weren't able to create moments of danger up until 15th minute or so. Then, Arsenal suddenly threatened following a corner, but Ozil's effort drifted inches wide.

Newcastle responded with a shot from outside the penalty area, but Sissokho fired wide. Then, in the 26th minute, Arsenal's pressure paid off.

Giroud was brought down halfway to the penalty box, Cazorla put in an inviting cross and Koscielny got on the end of it to break the deadlock.

Then came Podolski's time. First he went clean through only for Krul to save with his hip and then the German lashed a vicious header from a resulting corner, but Krul parried again. He won't be able to do so three minutes from the break.

Arsenal's move started with a simple, yet quite brilliant pass over the top from Arteta. Giroud chested the ball down, closed in on the keeper and fired a powerful shot, which Krul saved. The rebound fell to Giroud, the Frenchman produced an even more powerful shot and this time his parried effort ended up with Ozil. The German poked the ball into the net for his fifth goal this season.

It might have been 3-0 in injury time, but Krul pulled off another stunning save to deny Cazorla.

Newcastle started the second half better, with Remy going clean through, but his shot was as indifferent as his whole team was this evening.

Arsenal responded with a dangerous shot from Cazorla, before scoring a third goal to demonstrate just how much better they have been throughout. Ramsey's clever pass found Ozil on the left and Mesut picked out Giroud in the box. The Frenchman put his thumping header into the back of the net to make it 3-0.

Podolski almost scored another immediately, but his shot went wide after a slight touch from some bloke.

Arsene introduced Flamini and Rosicky soon after that, presumably just to rest Ramsey and Ozil. Rosicky proved a valuable member, as he should have got a penalty after being brought down in the box and then could have turned provider, but Sanogo (who subbed Giroud late on) was just offside. The final whistle blew soon after that, and Newcastle didn't even bother to come up with any kind of response.

After the game Arsene has talked up the importance of having Ozil and Ramsey back:

" I think they make a difference, but at the same period we had Walcott, Wilshere, Ozil, Ramsey and Koscielny all out. Of course you can sometimes miss one or two, but four or five? Every team feels that".

And you know, now that they are back, it has become painfully obvious how we've missed them. Ozil was, as always, floating in and out of the game, but his influence was more pronounced down to him scoring and assisting inside one game. We shouldn't forget about how his passing game made us look a more cohesive unit, however.

As for Ramsey, he was all over the pitch and, unlike Ozil, it's his energy and willingness going forward that we lacked earlier, rather than quality passing. Not that Ramsey is of no use to us as a playmaker, but you know what I mean. He just offers something no one else does.

So, a fine win, an even better performance and, most importantly, we are three points away from securing CL football. Should Everton lose to City on Saturday, we won't need any more points at all.

One last thing. I'm going away for a couple of days, but hope to be back in time to see Arsenal play their last home game. I'm not completely sure I'll be able to cover this game, but check back once in a while just in case.

Until later

Newcastle preview: two wins

Evening everyone.

In a couple of hours we face Newcastle at the Emirates and are presented with a very good chance to open up a four-point lead on Everton.

The Toffees were beaten by Southampton in an early game on Saturday and the Saints didn't even have to score to get the points. Two quite brilliant headers from Alcaraz and Coleman gifted Southampton the victory and with City up next Everon's chances of playing in the Champions League look slimmer by the minute. But we shouldn't count on Everton slipping up again. As the weekend has shown even a team with one hand on the the trophy can suddenly (and inexplicably) fail in a game of vital importance. That's because it's the Premier League we are talking about, and here everyone can beat everyone. Complacency can be punished even by the smallest teams.

That's why Arsenal has to be cautious going into today's match. Newcastle arrive on a back of an atrocious run of form, but, ultimately, they play in the top flight of the most competitive league in the world and it's for a reason.

Do I expect them to deliver? No. Even though I've long since spotted the pattern, due to which even the crappiest teams at their crappiest form add that little bit extra against the big guys, it's highly unlikely Newcastle will pull it off. They can punish us if we come into this game thinking the three points are already in the bag, but they don't seem like a bunch of players capable of turning the tables like Hull did in the first 25 minutes.

They say the fish rots from the head (God, I hate proverbs), but it describes the situation at Newcastle pretty accurately. The newspapers (in search of a flashy headline, perhaps) state that this game is a make-or-break for Pardew and it's not like they don't have good reason to. I mean, the Magpies have won three and lost nine in their last twelve games, something that can hardly be called spectacular. What is more, five straight losses during which Pardew was disqualified for his touchline antics, make their situation look worse still.

Will the fact that their manager's fate is depending on the outcome of this game shake the players out of their coma? I don't think so. Pardew looks an arrogant prick to me and, as far as I know, he's not very popular among Newcastle fans either. It just doesn't appear, as if the man feels for the club.

This is the part where I talk up that quality in Wenger. Arsene, whatever his shortcomings are, is one of the most passionate and loyal managers I've seen. Klopp is the only guy who comes close, but he's yet to work 18 years for Borussia. Back to the Frenchman and in him we've got a coach, who always defends his players, sometimes taking all the blame and has always fought for the ideals of this Club. Over the years Arsene has done so much for Arsenal FC and has become so deeply ingrained in everything that concerns it, that at this point we can say he IS the Club. Some even joke it's no coincidence, that the Frenchman's name is almost the same as the name of the Club.

And Pardew? Looks like a hired help to me. Like Benitez for Chelsea last season. It doesn't matter, how long he will be at the helm, he will always seem like an interim manager to me. A professional, who is doing his job, but over whose departure no tears will be shed. Is it likely, that the players will fight tooth (no pun intended) and nail for such a guy?

However, it's our performance (defensive, first of all) that we should be concentrated on. In that regard, we may have Vermaelen back. Even without the Belgian, though, our defense should cope. Sagna is having the time of his life at right-back (give this man a contract already), Mertesacker is much more assured with Koscielny back at his side and Monreal seems to have stepped it up, which was noticeable against Hull. I don't think he will be dropped in favour of our skipper, should Vermaelen make it.

In other positions I expect no changes at all. Podolski is in a free-scoring mood, Ozil and Ramsey are back and firing, and Giroud looks that much better with the Welshman making runs behind his back. Arteta and Cazorla complement this fine side.

The bench will also be a strong one, with only Gibbs, Gnabry, Wilshere and Walcott missing out (the latter will, unfortunately, miss the start of next season), so we'll have options available. A little too late, but still better than never.

Should we put in a shift like we did at Hull, I don't think it's unreasonable to hope for three points. Our fate is in our hands, two wins in three games will suffice for us to play among the best next season and both our next games will be played at home. We've dealt with such pressure before, let's do it again.

Come on you Gunners