Reading v QPR

Only a win from either side would prevent them from relegation. Both sides lacked quality upfront and it was clear to see why both clubs have spent the majority of the season in the bottom three. No goals was scored, the game ended in a draw which sent both Reading and QPR to the Championship which is where both teams will play next season

Chelsea v Swansea

Chelsea entertained a committed Swansea side. Chelsea started the better side as they easily flowed passes from the back into attacking positions, Oscar looked the most  threatening and it was no surprise when the young Brazilian international scored in the 43rd minute, Chelsea did not rest on their morals as they was awarded a penalty two minutes later and who else but Frank Lampard to step up and double the blues lead, he stoked the ball with fine precession which takes him one goal off the all time scoring record for Chelsea. Swansea couldn’t match the quality of Chelsea on the day and the game ended in a 2 nil victory to Chelsea.

Arsenal v Manchester United

Arsenal still had everything to play for as they continued their Endeavour to clinch a top four finish. Walcott opened the scoring for the Gunners within two minutes, he received the ball from what seemed to be an offside position. Van Persie returned to the Emirates for the first time since joining Manchester United, the Arsenal fans constantly “bood” the Dutchman but that did not put him off his game as he slotted a penalty on the stroke of half time from an initial mistake from Bacary Sagna. Arsenal continued to press to demand a victory but United stayed resistant and the game ended in a draw. Arsenal now drop to fourth place.

Ferguson seems to have the formula for playing Wenger’s sides, particularly in the last few years. I probably don’t have to remind you that Arsenal have only won 1 of their last 8 Premier League games while losing 6 of those. In the same period the Gunners have also lost 3 cup games against the Red Devils.

At the simplest level, it’s said that Ferguson asks his players to get tight to their opponents and deny them any time or space on the ball to disrupt Arsenal’s passing rhythm. United’s usually secure defensive structure has also kept the Gunner’s out and limited the number and nature of chances they could create. At the other end, quick counter-attacks and clever wing play have caused Wenger’s defence a fair amount of problems.

United have scored 18 League goals in the last 8 games against Arsenal conceding just 7 in the process, which explains the results and bears evidence to the success of Ferguson’s formula. Even if the 8-2 score line is removed as an outlier, the Red Devils have scored 10 to Arsenal’s 5. They also scored 6 while conceding just once in the 3 cup ties between the two sides during the last four years or so.

Wenger will have to find a way to counter Ferguson’s simple-sounding but highly effective approach. It won’t be easy because the Arsenal manager always wants his teams to play the same way. The Frenchman’s belief seems to be that if his side plays as well as they can the opponent’s tactics won’t matter. Clearly, the Scot has got the better of him over a long enough duration to merit a reconsideration.

The way I see it, Arsenal’s biggest challenge in this game is to ensure they don’t conceded a goal. United have lost only 2 away games this season and both have been narrow 1-0 defeats. Arsenal’s only win in their last 8 League meetings against the Red Devils has also been a 1-0.

Needless to say, the first goal will be vital and could prove decisive. Both these sides have only lost 4 points from a winning position but the champions-elect have turned it around more often than Arsenal as they’ve recovered 28 points from losing positions to Arsenal’s 16. Wenger’s team might struggle to get anything from this game if they concede the first goal. Individual mistakes or structural looseness must be avoided at all costs even if means playing out a drab, low-risk first half.

United don’t have anything more to play for so their motivation might drop as the game goes on particularly if it’s a tedious midfield battle. They might not track the runners or mark their opposing numbers as diligently as they’d do in a game that mattered more. A vertically stretched game would suit their strengths more and keep the players excited as they’ll always sense a chance.

The problem for Arsenal is that they’ve not really been able to defend in the central third of the pitch this season. When the defence has worked, it’s usually been hard work in and around the penalty box with most outfield players pulled back. Ferguson’s side generally finds a way to beat this kind of defending through their excellent wing play.

Playing slightly deeper with a couple of quick players in attack could still work for Arsenal if they can find a way to get the attackers involved and thus keep the visitors in check through an offensive threat of their own.

In Giroud’s absence Wenger will have to tweak his system a bit. Walcott is the only other player who’s played some games in the central role this season. Podolski and Gervinho are other options. I’d have liked to see the German get more time in the central areas but Wenger obviously has his reasons to keep him wide or on the bench. It’s tough to say whether this is the game to make a major change.

Having Walcott down the middle and Gervinho on the right should provide genuine pace to Arsenal’s attack but we’ve seen the team struggle to bring Theo into the game in such a role. I’ve felt that Wenger often leaves his players to figure out the solutions for themselves and it’s often sublime when it works, but against opponents who’ve mastered the defensive side of the game the answers can be hard to come by. Having certain pre-planned attacking options can help but I will be surprised if we see such moves from the Gunners.

Wenger does have most of his players available so it’ll be interesting to see what he considers a balanced line-up for this game.

I’ve a feeling Wilshere will start with Rosicky moving back to the bench. The rest of the team, barring Giroud, is likely to be the same as the one that took field at Craven Cottage.

We might see,

Szczesny – Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal – Arteta, Wilshere, Ramsey – Gervinho, Walcott, Cazorla.

Ferguson might give some of his fringe players a chance and the United squad might have a lower degree of motivation than they usually have, but the Gunners can’t count on it. I have a feeling this game will be decided by mistakes rather than great football. Lack of confidence or tactical confusion could prove fatal for the hosts whereas a lower degree of concentration might hurt the visitors. It’ll probably be decided by a one goal margin or less.

Baju Bola Liverpool Asli

Baju bola / kaos bola online terlengkap dan termurah. Kami melayani pemesanan eceran secara Online.  bajubola69 merupakan website penjualan online Baju bola ori dan Grade AAA, jersey ladies, jersey anak, jaket bola, celana bola - Jersey liverpool Home Grade Ori, dengan kualitas terbaik dan dijamin tidakk merugikan konsumen,

baju bola asli, baju bola original, baju bola ori, jual baju bola online, baju bola murah, baju klub bola, toko online baju bola, jual baju bola original, baju pemain bola, baju bola nike

Baju Bola Liverpool Home Grade Ori

ini adalah info produk Baju Bola Liverpool Home Grade Ori

Jenis Ukuran

Baju Bola kandang  musim 2012-2013. Tersedia dalam ukuran:

Lebar x panjang x lebar lengan (cm)

S = 52 x 69 x 18
M = 53 x 72 x 19
L = 55 x 76 x 20
XL = 57 x 78 x 21

Baju Bola, Baju Bola, jual Baju Bola, grade ori, jual Baju Bola, grade original, jual Baju Bola, jual Baju Bola online, jual Baju Bola, Baju Bola, kaos Baju Bola, Baju Bola original, Baju Bola murah, Baju Bola kw, toko Baju Bola, Baju Bola shop, Baju Bola online, Baju Bola ori, Baju Bola 2014, Baju Bola 2014, harga Baju Bola, edit Baju Bola, koleksi Baju Bola, buat Baju Bola, bikin Baju Bola, Baju Bola asli, jaket Baju Bola, penjualan Baju Bola, Baju Bola termurah, home 2013 2014

(via @101goals) yummy…

Kolo Toure has confirmed that he will be leaving Manchester City. Kolo Toure joined Manchester city in 2009 for  a fee 0f £16m from Arsenal. The Ivorian center back made 72 appearances and scored two goals for the club, during his stay he won the F.A cup and Premier league title. Kolo was quoted saying “My first choice is this country, as I like English football – that is why I began playing football,”.

Kolo Toure will no doubt have offers from various premier league teams in search for his signature as the 32 year old has plenty of experience to offer in addition to a top class defensive mindset.

Oliver Giroud says scoring goals has always been “an obsession” for him.

The France international has had a fruitful first season in the Premier League, finding the back of the net 17 times in all competitions.

The 26-year-old admits that to be a successful striker, you must have a very particular mindset.

“You need to have something special, the goal is always in your head,” Giroud told Arsenal Player. “It is always a target, to want to shoot, to score and take your chance.

“You need to work on it every day in training as much as your can. In France we say it is an obsession [to score].

“You have to be a killer in front of goal, even if you miss a chance you have to keep going and believe in your qualities.

“Even if you don’t score during four or five games, like I did, you have to keep focused and have a strong mentality. [Being a striker] is a lot of things, you need to be positive and always know where the target is.

“It is very special for a striker to score because whether it is a big game or not, it is always the same sensation. You feel better after you score, you feel more relieved and you try more things, you are more confident. It is like a drug and you are so peaceful after.”

Podolski has been played as a left winger by Arsene Wenger, this is clearly not Podolski’s best or favourite position. Podolski has played well this season but he hasn’t exactly set Arsenal alight, however he is playing out of position. In all competitions this year Podolski has made 37 appearances for the gunners and has scored 14 goals. I cannot help but feel that if Podolski had played as a striker this season he would have had a bigger impact on Arsenal’s season and they may have even been in a better position than they are currently. Podolski has shown on countless occasions that he is more than capable of putting the ball in the back of the net. Giroud, who plays as striker or Arsenal, hasn’t always been on form this season and this has got a lot of fans wondering why Mr Wenger never chooses Podolski to spearhead Arsenal’s attack.

During a press conference on 14th April 2012, Wenger praised Podolski for his attitude and said that he feels he is capable of playing as a central striker. This is what Arsene Wenger had to say during the press conference, “I work a lot with him as a central striker at the moment. He is a quality player and when he comes on you can see that straight away. You don’t get 100 caps by luck. Honestly he has a great attitude. He never moans, he never has a bad phase, he is always positive.”. This makes me ask the question, why doesn’t Podolski play down the middle? Unfortunately the only man who knows the answer to this is Wenger himself. Podolski is one of our most threatening players when it comes to goal scoring. Podolski has scored all sorts of goals this season, volleys, long shots, tap ins, free kicks, he has displayed is finishing abilities on numerous occasions this season. The goals that stick out in my mind are is sumptuous volley against Montpellier and his superb three kick against Southampton, which I was at the Emirates to see.

Arsenal have 4 Premier League games remaining this season and I think that Podolski will finally get the chance to show he deserve to lead the line for the Gunners. Olivier Giroud has been suspended for 3 matches due to the red card he picked up against Fulham, leaving the perfect opportunity for Podolski to show case his talents. However it is not set in stone that Wenger will choose to play Podolski in this position, although he is surely the natural choice. It has been hard for Wenger this season, he brought in Giroud and Podolski in the summer and also had Walcott who was desperate to play up front. Podolski and Walcott can both play out wide so I can understand the decision to play Giroud up top. However I feel that Podolski is the best striker that we have at the club and he is a natural goalscorer. Hopefully he can take his chance in Arsenals remaining matches.

It has been a very frustrating season for all Arsenal fans. They could only sit back and watch as Robin Van Persie left for United during the summer transfer window for £24 million. However I do feel that a lot of Arsenal fans have been dueling on the departure of RVP for too long, he is my no means the only world class striker out there. This brings me to the first area where I feel that Arsenal need to improve this season. Arsenal have scored 65 goals in the Premier League so far this season, the third highest, however if you compare this to United’s 78 goals so far, you can see that Arsenal need more goals in order to challenge for the title. Arsenal’s top scorer in the Premier League so far this season is Santi Cazorla, having scored 12 goals who has played practically all of the season in an attacking midfield position. This clearly shows and issue as Arsenal’s highest Premier League goalscorer is a midfielder, I think that this should not be the case and that we need to sign a more prolific striker. Olivier Giroud has been very inconsistent in an Arsenal shirt this season. He started of very slowly, had a good spell and now seems to have petered out again. In total Giroud has made 46 appearances this season and has scored 17 goals, with only 11 coming in the Premier League. This is simply not good enough to be Arsenal’s leading man! Arsenal fans have always been blessed with quality strikers including Thierry Henry and Ian Wright. It has become an expectation for Arsenal fans that they will have a striker who will score the team 20+ Premier League goals a season. I feel that Arsenal must sign a world class striker in the summer, however I’m not sure who would be available or who we could afford. There has been a lot of talk of Arsenal signing Jovetic, however I’m not 100% sure that he is the prolific striker that we need. Taking all of this in to account, I would be very disappointed if Wenger didn’t bolster our attacking options in the summer.

Another on the field issue for Arsenal this season has been that we have had no real defensive midfielder. Alex Song was sold to Barcelona for £15 million and no real defensive replacement was brought in. This season Wenger has played a various number of players in the defensive midfield role, including Ramsey and Arteta, however I would say that nether player looked comfortable defensively in this position. I have noticed that there is often a big gap between Arsenal’s defense and midfield, which many teams have exploited this season. This pace must be filled by a high quality natural defensive midfielder next season in order to challenge for the title. Arsenal have missed out on lots of defensive midfielders in the past including Yann M’Vila and Scott Parker, and it appears that there is a lack of defensive midfielders readily on the market this season. However I can name a couple of players who Arsenal could make a move for this summer, they are Celtic’s Victor Wanyama and Bayer’s Lars Bender. Personally I would prefer to see Bender at the Emirates as I feel he is technically a better player, and would suit Arsenal’s play more. The German international has made a big impact on the Bayer Leverkusen set-up since his introduction to the first team in 2009. The last two seasons have seen him play 78 times for the club and he was even included in Germany’s Euro 2012 squad where he made 4 appearances. Bender possesses similar versatility to what Mathieu Flamini offered in his Arsenal days, but has a bigger frame and is a physically stronger presence in midfield, something that is a must for the Gunners.

However there are issues of the field that I feel need to be addressed for Arsenal to become title challengers. The biggest of these being the atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium. The Emirates can hold just over 60,000 spectators however this capacity has rarely been filled this season. Matches that are contested against big teams like Spurs and United usually create a good atmosphere inside the stadium, however it is against the lesser teams that the atmosphere struggles to get going. Arsenal have only won 10 of 17 home games at the Emirates in the Premier League this season. This tally is simply not good enough for a team like Arsenal and I believe that it could be down to the atmosphere. The ticket prices at the Emirates are the highest in the Premier League, the prices of tickets at the Emirates is absolutely ludicrous. I think the ticket prices have a part to play in the poor atmosphere, when I go to watch Arsenal I see a lot of business men in suite’s who aren’t really the type of fans to get the atmosphere going. I feel if they made the tickets cheaper, more “real” fans could go afford to watch the team week in week out and create a better atmosphere at the Emirates, which in turn may make the players play better with the added support.

Arsenal have obviously not had the best of seasons and have once again failed to win a trophy, that Arsenal fans are craving for. I fully expect Arsenal to strengthen this summer. I think with a world class striker and solid defensive midfielder and maybe even another centre back could see unless challenge for the Premier League title. I think that Arsenal really do need to win a trophy next season as to attract better players to the club as I feel they have missed out on some world class players in recent years due to the 9 trophy less seasons. I hope that Arsenal can fulfill their target of Champions League football this season, then they can push on for a trophy next year!

Not much I can write about this. I didn’t watch the game live, haven’t watched any highlights, and only part listened to it on the radio as I was driving about Saturday afternoon. Maybe Edd can add a bit more in the comments, but for me this was a high tension 1-0 win and a valuable three points. There seems to have been a huge outpouring of anger on Twitter over the performance. That we struggled to beat a team who played almost the entire match with 10 men is neither here nor there for me. Performances mean nothing with 5 games to go. Three points is three points is three points.

Spurs 3 Man City 1

I watched this one on my iPad with the Grand Prix on the tv. City led for a long time and I was very hopeful. Unfortunately once Spurs brough off the diabolical Adebayor the game changed. I thought Spurs’ equaliser was offiside, but at that point City fell apart and meakly surrendered their title. Spineless.

Liverpool 2 Chelsea 2

After the City collapse I wasn’t hopeful Liverpool could do anything to help us so I left the iPad on whilst doing other things rather than watch it properly. As expected Chelsea scored first. Liverpool came out for the second half fired up and equalised, before surrendering the momentum thorugh a Suarez handball and a penalty to Chelsea. It syaed that way until the 96th minute when Suarez (still on the pitch despite biting Ivanovic) headed home a delicious equaliser.

That left us in third place. Now I know both Spurs and Chelsea have a game in hand, but it’s important to remember that the game in hand is against each other – which means one, but not both, can go above us if they win. A draw doesn’t help either. And so, oour three points against Fulham this weekend mean that with 4 games to go the race for top 4 and Champions League is still in our hands. That’s to say: win our remaining games and we are tin the top 4 whatever else happens.

Of course the elphant in the room is that the next game is Manchester United. Can we really be expected to win that one? Well…..

Manchester United 3 Aston Villa 0

Means they are champions. Good news – I’d far rather give them a guard of honour than let them actually win the league on our ground. There is also the smallest chance they may take their foot off the gas just enough to give us a chance of winning on Sunday. Clutching at straws? Maybe, let’s hope they have the mother of all parties this week and are nursing hangovers come the weekend.

They won last night thanks to a Robin Van Persie hat trick. A fitting way for them to win it really. It obviously grates that they effectively paid us £24m for the league title this year, as he has been the difference. The truth is therefore that he left not for money but for glory. And he’s got it. And likely he’ll get more next season. And over the course of his contract he will pick up more trophies than Arsenal will over that period. I am of course ver hopeful that won’t be the case, but history suggests that to be the case.

It hurts. Liek seeing an ex girlfriend happy with another guy – a guy who can give her the things you never could. Distressing, but ulimately the anger and hatred should be reserved for that arsehole who’s banging her, and your own inadequacy than the hot girl who got away…. right?

He was aksed last night how it would be to return to the Emirates as a champion. His diplomatic reply was to ask to be given the time to enjoy winning the league rather than think about that. Much as he diplomatically didn’t hear the abuse dished out by away fans at Old Trafford. I don’t think it’s certain by any means he will even play on Sunday, but if he does, I hope we can take our cue from him – and respectfully applaud him and his achievement.

However, that argument also has an equally valid corollary. The performance against Fulham wasn’t as good as one would expect from a top side against an opponent that was down to 10 men for over 80 minutes. The probabilities work here too, if a team continues to make heavy weather of such games they’ll drop more points than those at the top of the table. A freakish goal, a wrong call by the ref, a moment of brilliance form an opponent, or something else will and do cost Arsenal points over the course of a season in games they should be winning comfortably.

These are two sides of the same coin and fans focusing on only one are simply betraying their own biases.

The game itself was entertaining for a while before it got tense. The goal made it comfortable, which in turn led to some tactical confusion before a very nervy finish.

The opening minutes were evenly contested and it seemed like this was going to be an open game with both sides looking to build from the back. Fulham created a fantastic opening in this period when Manolev burst down the right flank. Arsenal’s covering defending was reactionary and a fraction slow, which allowed the full-back the opportunity to simply knock the ball forward and chase after it. Better and quicker reading of the situation by the defenders would have curtailed this move high up on the left in the Arsenal half.

Nevertheless, Emanuelson made the wrong choice and danger was thwarted.

Over the next seven to eight minutes, it was all Arsenal.

The Gunners had raised the tempo of their passing and were doing an excellent job of moving the ball around. Their positioning higher up the pitch and cohesive pressing made it difficult for the Cottagers and, if the graphic above is accurate, Martin Jol’s side didn’t make a single successful forward pass in the 3-10 minute period!

With a full complement of players on the pitch, Fulham were playing slightly higher up the pitch. Their first line of defence was about 10 yards inside their half while the back four were sitting a few yards behind them. The idea was to prevent Arsenal from getting into central areas in front of the defence by cutting passing channels and pressing the man on the ball at the back. A number of teams have been successful with this against the Gunners this season, as have Fulham in the past, but in this game it felt like they were not completely into it. Maybe it was simply a matter of not being motivated enough.

I’d a feeling Arsenal were going to score because Fulham were too open and the Gunners rampant. It was just a matter of finding the right ball. For instance, Giroud received a pass in front of the defence and almost played Walcott through. Theo was off-side but the spaces, particularly between the lines and behind the back four, were clearly visible.

Then came the first decisive moment of the game. Sidwell lunged into a terrible tackle. I’m not sure if he went in really hard but it was high and dangerous. Some refs might have let him off with a yellow but it’s hard to argue against that Red. The Fulham manager said pretty much the same thing,

Sometimes you hope the referee will book you because it wasn’t intentional, but if you are consistent it is a red card.

The hosts retreated deep into their own half after going down to 10, which is understandable. Their back four was now just on the edge of their box or deeper and the first line of defence was roughly five yards in front. A deep and narrow defence with two banks of four is also something that works against the Gunners, at least on occasion.

For a while it seemed the Cottagers will frustrate Wenger’s side as they were extremely disciplined and made it impossible to play through them down the middle. Arsenal’s wing play is in general weaker than other top teams and they couldn’t really use the width available to them. It’s worth noting that Fulham attempted more crosses than Arsenal despite having less than 30 percent possession.

Even when the ball went wide there were few bodies in the box and Giroud was often isolated against four defenders. I thought the midfielders were really trying hard to stretch the defence with their movement but none of them really joined in the attack and there were no penetrating runs that come to mind.

Of course, in such a case there is no reason to panic early in the game and the players could have been confident that a goal will come if they keep at it. The 10 men would have eventually tired and we usually see more defensive mistakes late in such games. As it was, Arsenal finally made a set-piece count. Ruiz lost his concentration for a moment, Walcott’s delivery was excellent, Koscielny rose to meet it but could only direct it back across the goal. Ultimately, it was Mertesacker’s poaching instincts – I liked the way he continued his run and lost Senderos – that resulted in the goal.

The second half was characterized by the confusion we’ve seen from Arsenal all season. The players weren’t really sure whether they should play out the game or go for more goals. As a result the passing and movement lacked sufficient purpose. In such cases we also see situations where the defenders start dropping deep while some players are chasing the ball high up the pitch. The team does not perform like a unit in sync.

For a while the game meanders along but opponents soon start sensing a chance when the Gunners don’t click together because it counters their biggest strength – their technical superiority.

Fulham grew into the game as it progressed and they got really direct towards the end. The ball spent a lot more time in Arsenal’s defensive third and the hosts were close to getting something. Desperate blocks and interventions from the Gunners were enough to keep Szczesny safe for the most part but we’ve seen plenty of games where Arsenal concede a freakish goal in such circumstances. That’s the point I was making earlier about the gap when compared to the top sides.

The Cottagers must be disappointed they didn’t make the most of their chances but their position in the table is not a fluke. Berbatov showed a tendency to sulk and moan when greater concentration and diligence would have helped. Many of their players, Kacaniklic in particular, showed good qualities on the ball but couldn’t really produce a decisive moment in tight areas.

Neither side created much in the second half.

For the Gunners, Ramsey went closest deep in injury time. Fulham had a couple of free-kicks but little else to register on the charts.

With Spurs winning against City and Chelsea again dropping two late points, Arsenal should be delighted with their three points. All is not well, that much is pretty clear, but the season could still end on a strong positive note if the spirit continues to shine through.

Individual Performances:

Szczesny: A correct off-side call saved his blushes as he spilled a free-kick into a dangerous area. Had a pretty decent game otherwise but he wasn’t really made to sweat by the hosts.

Sagna: Had a fairly comfortable game defensively till the late Fulham rally. Spent a lot of time high up the pitch but wasn’t able make use of the space out wide. Crossing wasn’t very good but often he lacked targets in the box.

Mertesacker: Scored the winner and produced some crucial interventions in the Arsenal penalty box. Passing was steady and reliable. Gets the MotM vote in my book.

Koscielny: Again he was the busier of the two centre-backs from a defensive point of view. Won a number of vital duels and cleared the danger late in the game. It wasn’t perfect – for instance, late in the game he shanked a clearance straight up in the air in the penalty box; made the wrong choice and slipped in the build-up to the Berbatov chance – but it worked. Picked up a useful assist.

Monreal: Saw a lot more of the ball than Sagna and had a pretty busy defensive game. He too couldn’t really make use of the width available. There were a number of small mistakes that in another game might have been more visible.

I thought the full-backs were too far up the pitch during the first half and contributed to the congestion at times. They might have been better off picking their moments, but this is an approach Wenger seems to prefer. The central defenders made the decisive impact at both ends.

Arteta: Excellent ball circulation and good defensive contribution across the width of the pitch mostly in the central third. I did feel this was a game where a deep-lying playmaker would have been handy and it’s something the Spaniard can do. Don’t know why he’s not asked to stay further back and pick out more penetrating passes.

Rosicky: Another one who saw a lot of the ball but most of it was a fair distance away from goal. I felt he should have been getting closer to Giroud after the red card and making more runs in behind.

Ramsey: Work rate was again superb. Was involved with the play all over the pitch, probably more often than any other player on the pitch. Almost scored at the end. He’s another one who could have either attempted some creative passes from deep or made more runs to join Giroud as he seems the best equipped midfielder when it comes to attacking crosses.

Cazorla: Looked tired and wasn’t able to influence play anywhere near as effectively as he has done for most of the season. It’s unfair to be harsh on the guy but was some way below his own high standards.

The midfield was dynamic but in an ineffective way. There was a lot of movement and sharp passing but it lacked purpose and penetration. They’ll have to find some tweaks as one or two of the remaining games might see teams parking the bus.

Giroud: Saw very little of the ball in the penalty box despite his team dominating possession and territory for most of the game. Arsenal have to learn to use his physical strengths to their advantage when a team drops so deep. The Red Card at the end seemed the right call at first sight but replays showed he slipped while trying a turn. Hopefully, it will be overturned.

Walcott: Movement was disappointing as he didn’t know where to go once the space was cut out. Has to learn to come across the face of the penalty box and use the horizontal space when vertical is in short supply. Good delivery on the set-piece for the goal.

The forwards just weren’t able to get into the game, which really is a failure of the system as a whole. Giroud and Walcott have very different attributes and the Gunners couldn’t use any of their qualities.

Subs: Wilshere had more defensive work to do and barely got into the attacking third. Podolski too came on at a time when the team had lost its impetus. Vermaelen barely had a few moments on the pitch.

Wenger: The ‘psychological problem’ that he talks about has been around for almost the entire season now. IMO it is directly related to indecision and tactical uncertainty in the players’ minds and it’s the manager’s job to guide them. There’s just four games left but this issue could still cause major damage.

Sagna linked with both PSG and Monaco this summer. Now, Sagna is one of my favourite players, for many reasons. 1.I play right back myself and pay extra attention to him in games 2.he is one of the players who has been in the club for a long time 3.In good games he is amazing. However, it’s been a while since he has dazzled me. Maybe I’m choosing to remember the good stuff more than the bad, but didn’t he used to contribute more offensively? Didn’t his crosses look just a little bit better? Wasn’t he a bit faster? Don’t get me wrong, he is still a world-class defender, but his offensive game has seen better days. Perhaps it’s the injuries. broken leg x 2, maybe Walcott was more playable. A lot of ‘ifs’ and ‘maybes’ . Then Jenks came in and I really liked the guy. He grew 3-4 years in terms of playing in one season, and it was great to see. But all the while thinking Sagna was better and how he’s not quite ready yet. Now, I’m not so sure. Carl Jenkinson plays his heart out, loves the club and has great potential. I honestly can’t see who we would bring in to replace Sagna, IF he’s sold then bring in a second right back and give Jenks a shot. I would greatly miss his golden hair and great speed while backtracking and driving forward.

Ramsey is another name popping up as a target for Cardiff. Right.. This young lad has taken a lot of crap, and a lot of it unjustified. Has been through some injuries as well, and expectations of being the “next/same Wilshere” and he is not that kind of player. Now, if you look at our squad in 2013 he’s one of the best performing players. I’m starting to see that ol’ potential again. I see him as a successor to Rosicky, who is getting closer and closer to retirement. And also, don’t forget he’s only 22(!)

Lastly Vermaelen. We have been talking about strengthening the defence for years now. And now that we have 3 great, world-class centerbacks, are we really going to sell him? Again, who would we replace him with? He was great last season, this season has been troublesome for him. Is that enough for Mr.Wenger to sell him? (remember Henry, RvQuisling and more). The only reason i see for selling any of the three is the players themselves. If TV5 himself wants to leave then, well that’s a different story.

There is a lot of talk about strengthening the squad this summer, as last summer, as january and so on and so on and so on. We’ll see if the Squid,the Moroccan and the not so great Dane find themselves elsewhere, if not then i don’t know. I sincerely hope Wenger has tried to offload these guys before and it might be a reason for them sticking around. Nobody wants them. There are a few player out of contract to my knowledge.

So, fingers crossed and long live the dream!

The rise and rise of Julian Zipparo.

I’ve been playing Fantasy Premier League for a few years now. It’s an online game where you select real players and are awarded points based on their weekly performance.

But as the 2012/13 season wears on, I have noticed that one of my main opponents in my league, my old friend Julian Zipparo, is outscoring me at every turn. No matter what I do, he will get an extra 20-30 points each week.

Then I noticed his rank in the world.

Number one.

Number one out of 2.6 million players.

How could I compete? At the time of writing, I am ranked 397,827 in the world, which is impressive for someone who does not know his Arsenal from his elbow. But now I can only watch on as Julian spends another week on top of the world. This is unheard of from an Australian. The most a colonist could wish for was the top 1000.

I have looked at his team to try and discover his secret. But the team shows no corrections of any kind. Not one. He had simply written down a list of names already finished in his head. A perfect team, as if he were just taking dictation. Displace one defender and there would be catastrophe. Remove one striker and the structure would fall.

On the page it looked nothing. The beginning simple, almost comic. Just a pulse – Mignolet in front of the box and Russell Martin at the back – like a rusty squeezebox. Then suddenly a midfield made of superman after superman: Mata, Fellaini and Michu. And then – high above it – Suarez, a forward, hanging there unwavering, till captain Robin Van Persie took over and sweetened it into an attack of such delight! This was no team composition by a performing monkey! This was a team I’d never seen. Filled with such longing, such unfulfillable longing, it had me trembling. It seemed to me that I was looking at the very team of God.

Now I know how Salieri felt whenever Mozart was around.

It’s difficult to single out a reason for this because Fulham have had three different managers over that 9 game period. Even the patterns of play have varied. But there is one common factor – technique. Fulham sides over the last few years have had pretty good technical quality. This means they’re able to hold the ball against Arsenal and in some games they’ve even been able to push up and pin the Gunners back. At times this also coincides with their aerial strength and they’ve used the long ball effectively, particularly under Mark Hughes.

This season’s squad at Craven Cottage is again a technically strong unit. Players like Ruiz and Berbatov are just excellent while many others support them admirably as far as technique is concerned. In the reverse fixture they were able to create some delightful moves and made good use of the gap that develops when Arsenal’s pressing higher up the pitch is countered by the opponent’s sharp passing at the back.

For example, Kacaniklic’s goal in the reverse fixture came after a spell of short passing at the back. Four or five Arsenal players were trying to press higher up the pitch while the defence fell back. The gap that opened up was quickly exploited and Fulham went from their own half to the Arsenal penalty box in a couple of passes after playing at least 10 passes in their own half.

The off the ball movement of Berbatov, his understanding with Kacaniklic, and the patience, technique, and composure of their players at the back were all appreciable details in that goal.

Wenger’s team should expect more of the same and unless they keep their shape compact they’ll again concede through a similar pattern just like they did against West Brom.

With the aerial threat posed by Hangeland and Senderos, Fulham will also be a hopeful of troubling Arsenal through their set-pieces. Their full-backs make good runs and have the ability to put quality balls into the box. That’s another potential avenue for attacks. With the likes of Berbatov, Ruiz, Karagounis and others in their ranks, shots from distance could also be a problem if the players are not closed down.

In the reverse fixture Fulham also did a great job of nicking the ball from an Arsenal man in possession with Ruiz in particular stealing possession from at least three different Gunners (including the penalty incident when he pinched it off Arteta). Dawdling on the ball will not be a good idea and some shouts from teammates could also help.

Their defending hasn’t been particularly great. Even at home the Cottagers have lost 6 games and conceded 22 goals. Although occasionally they can produce the kind of performance they recently showed at White Hart Lane to win the game by a solitary goal, they’ve only kept 4 clean sheets at Craven Cottage. Martin Jol’s side have lost 5 and drawn 1 of their 7 home games against sides that are above them in the League.

Wenger’s side should be able to create chances and score goals if they can move the ball at pace. They key will be to find a balance so that the defence isn’t left exposed and their technical players don’t find enough time or space to dictate play.

Arsenal will have to get more out of their winger if they wish to win this game. Ramsey’s forward bursts from midfield could also be very fruitful.

Wenger has most of his squad available for selection but it’s tough to guess what his choices will be. Wilshere’s inclusion in the previous games has been a surprise and the manager is known to manufacture injuries as an excuse when he leaves players out.

Rosicky’s presence in the starting line-up would definitely help the team. It’s tough to pick one out of Gervinho, Walcott, and Oxlade-Chamberlain as they all have their strengths and weaknesses. My guess is Theo will keep his place but my choice would be Gervinho because he has the best movement of the three and that opens the game up more often.

Wenger might even put Cazorla in the middle for this game and put Podolski back on the left to add some freshness. I’d like to see the German get some time in the centre but this is probably not the right moment to experiment with such things.

I’d like to see,

Szczesny – Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal – Arteta, Rosicky, Ramsey – Gervinho, Giroud, Cazorla.

Wenger will make his choices based on injuries real or notional, the medical advice about the sharpness of some players (this will be the 3rd game in 8 days for many if there are no rotations), and his opinion of the combinations that can work. There are many permutations that could work for Arsenal and there are many that could struggle. In some cases the game could go either way with the same starting line-up and it would depend on how Fulham use their strengths and cover their weaknesses.

In that regard, since the Cottagers don’t have much to play for, we might see a marginally lower intensity and/or concentration in their performance. However, that is not something one can assume. Arsenal will once again have to show exceptional spirit if they wish to have all the three points from this game but that alone might not be enough. Good combinations in attack and structural integrity when defending will be just as important. Gaps between the lines might prove very expensive.

I have a feeling this will be a much more open game than the one against Everton was. Which side will take their chances?

Pictured: Jedi Ramalapa

We’ve all been there chasing something or someone we really want. It’s obsessive and brings purpose to your day, your life; chasing a dream, a job, a vacation, a relationship, a child, a lover, a mother, a father, sister, a career, a friend, a spirit, God, money, clothes, fashion, shoes, cars, houses, fame, honour, popularity, a beginning or an end to something, an answer. It is a chase because whatever it is you want, ideally you will like it to happen; now, you want it to happen fast, soon in fact yesterday.   I know about “the chase”, I am a journalist. We are always on the run, chasing this story or that story, hoping to be the first with the information or find a scoop, an angle which others have not yet found, it’s relentless even when there is no story to chase we’re still running after something – sometimes there is no thing there to chase but the chase continues  always searching for a loophole,  looking for a  crack somewhere, a scam, a mistake, an expose.

Ask anyone who knows me I have been on the run chasing only God knows what. If I am not physically travelling and on the run chasing  a story or something, my mind does the running around for me, chasing  fears, hopes, thoughts, ideas, things to do always, always  chasing even my own shadow.  In the chase I’ve seen life pass me by like the blurry image from inside a fast-moving car… hardly seeing the sky, the landscape or the flowers and how they bloom because there’s no time for that. Was that a smile, a kiss, a hug? How was the food? The coffee, did I taste it or was I already chasing the next thing I was going to do? What did I just say? Come back! Where are you? You are not here. Have been constant calls from those who love me, often I would go on the chase in mid-sentence, travel over the Atlantic or deep into some dream or memory or an angle for a story. Everything I’m listening to and everything that is happening around me has to be about whatever it is I am chasing if it’s not about the chase then I have no interest. I even have a real life chase account to illustrate my point.  There’s no time to waste “I might miss THE story”.  The story that will change my life, the story that will finally make the Chase worth it.

My mother says she loves the “chase”.  But her chase is very different from mine; it’s not about getting there first, fast and furiously.  It’s about romance and she is the ultimate romantic you see.  Her chase is about the suspense, the mystery you see – what’s the point of knowing the end before you even watch a movie is her answer because I have already asked “so how will it end?”   It’s the journey that makes the destination so much more rewarding. Because you are there for every moment, moving with  the story and allowing it to unfold, going up and down, and  down a bend, over the hill, opening up layer upon layer of i secretes which can be astonishing, sad, amazing, surprising, annoying, painful, funny, crazy, long, hard, exhilarating, breath-taking, mesmerizing, incredible, brilliant, entertaining and full of life. Like a long drive, a cruise, a voyage. It is what makes soccer (the football game I love to hate) so “addictive”.  It’s not the score at the end of the match  that matters so much as  what happens within those 90 minutes that matters, ( YES the score DOES matter !) it is not about kicking a ball around, it’s about the skill, the tackles, the strategy, the shrewdness, it’s about intuition, chance, luck, opportunity, it’s about the individual and the team  and how they all play with each other, t’s about training, hard work, team work, talent, dedication, passion, focus, it’s about loyalty, it’s about support , it’s about respect, it’s about communication, it’s about perseverance, it’s about ownership, it’s about you, it’s about the  coach, the  management, and it’s the combination of all those things working together in harmony that make the game such a pleasure to watch, it is what drives people so passionately mad, so crazy,  makes them stand up, shout and scream and cry, as if possessed,  it is what is so devastatingly disappointing when both teams don’t bring their best game to the pitch.

Knowing the score at the end of a match is not the same as having watched the game for a full 90 minutes and then some.  If it was, soccer players might swell show up  for a penalty shootout  only and then call it a game.

So to continue with the soccer analogy – I have been out of the game. I’ve been sitting on the bench; I’ve had a couple of injuries and a few yellow cards and some red cards, I‘ve changed teams, coaches, management, I’ve consulted, gone free. I was born in Kaizer Chiefs territory (Meadowlands, Soweto South Africa) changed teams when I lived in Orlando West to become Buccaneer (Orlando Pirates) in the English Premier League, Arsenal has always been my team by default because my friends were Arsenal fans. They’ve all broken my heart repeatedly over and over again over the years. So much so I quit soccer, peaking in every now again for the major tournaments always half – heartedly.  I have forgiven myself .

And now? I’m that guy running on the sidelines warming up. No longer a spectator, no longer indifferent.  I am a player and a supporter.  I am part of a team.  Because more than a win or a loss, it’s the knowledge that you belong, that you love and are loved.  It’s the knowledge that you have everything you need, the right training, the right coach, the right management for you, the right support, counselling, all the  resources, everything you need to play your best game – all of it is taken care of. That is what makes you step out into the field with confidence and pride. Because let’s face it, when your team walks out onto the field you are one of them. And as you stand , tall and  shoulder to shoulder with your team mates, at that moment when you place your right  hand across your chest  and feel the blood fueled adrenalin pulsating through your heart –  at that moment  you know, it’s not  about all the games you’ve lost, the yellow cards, red cards, fouls or fights you’ve had before. It’s about the fact that despite all your past failures as a player and as a team –   you’re still there standing  ready to play yet another game …  what a privilege.

Or as my mother would say; it’s knowing that  you are worthy, that you’re already chosen, that you are already the first, the one and the only that makes the “ chase” so exciting.

I love that we finally agree.

Broadly speaking, it was down to the slightly conservative nature of Arsenal’s play, particularly in the first half. Everton came out with a very high intensity as was expected but the Gunners did well to keep them out in the initial exchanges. Moyes’ side have created a number of quality chances every time I’ve seen them play this season even if they haven’t always converted those chances into goals and results. In this game the Gunners really minimized the opportunities they could create.

Apart from that early chance for Pienaar and a couple of other moments, there wasn’t much from the visitors in the form of incision or goal-threat.

Wenger’s side were disciplined, fairly well structured, and worked hard for each other. Examples of this were visible throughout the game but the most obvious ones were the manner in which the right flank was defended. Sagna was rarely left alone and Everton’s attempts to overlap were thwarted as the Gunners tracked runs diligently. Even when the Toffees got 3 or 4 bodies in the wide areas to cause an overload and manufacture space with clever combinations, the Gunners quickly moved wide to close it down. Everton weren’t able to put many balls into the box as a result of this.

Similarly, Arsenal players did a very good job of attacking set-pieces and other balls delivered into the box. The visitors had a clear physical advantage but they weren’t able to use that as the hosts covered all the bases.

This defensive solidity came at the cost of attacking impetus. The Gunners just couldn’t get enough bodies forward on a consistent basis, particularly in the first half. The total number of opportunities created was quite limited and, at least in part, Everton also deserve credit for denying Arsenal any space in the central areas.

The Gunners were not able to bring Walcott into the game as he was tightly marked and never found room to run into. On a handful of occasions when he did get a glimpse of an opening it was crudely but cleverly shut down via a foul. The ref was lenient – Fellaini should have received a yellow card in the first 10 minutes and Gibson could easily have been sent off – but we’ve seen enough of the English game to know this is a part of the equation that Arsenal just have to learn to deal with.

As was mentioned in the preview the visitors did a good job of shepherding the hosts towards the flanks before winning the balls in those areas. They also forced Arsenal into playing the inherently inefficient crossing game.

Of course, some might say that a cross should have resulted in a goal and Giroud missed a really good chance when Ramsey put a delectable offering on a plate for him. The Frenchman overcooked his shot, which was a sign of inexperience. He went for power and placement when all he needed to do was cushion the ball towards goal. Howard had committed and an experienced striker would have been alert to that. Giroud’s actual age is that of a player at the peak of his powers but we must not forget he is a late bloomer and there are many raw edges to his game.

Another case of inexperience was when Oxlade-Chamberlain tried putting the ball in the striker’s path when taking a shot at goal was a good option. These are not easy choices though and the youngsters intentions can be applauded. Walcott has shown better decision making skills in such situations as he’s gained more playing time and the same will happen with Alex.

There were maybe a couple of other half chances but not much else in the form of creativity or penetration from the Gunners. They lacked offensive efficiency that we saw against West Brom and a little bit of luck which helped them against Norwich. That’s the reason I’d said the law of averages was bound to catch up and it’s also the reason why few teams, however hyped up or expensively assembled, win five or more in a row.

Obviously, the problem of balance – something I’ve discussed all season – is not going to go away any time soon. I’m still not convinced Wenger knows what his best eleven is with this squad and the kind of combinations that are needed to solve the different problems posed by the unique styles of opposing teams. In many ways this feels like another rebuilding process where a lot of players are inexperienced and have a lot to learn about the game just as Wenger has something to learn about their individual attributes and the way they come together.

Individual Performances:

Szczesny: Did well to close Pienaar down early on. Had a fairly comfortable game otherwise, which is a big compliment to his teammates.

Sagna: Very busy day for the Frenchman and he was mostly excellent. Did lose Pienaar once for that early chance. Crossing could have been better but it was often rushed due to factors outside his control. Did get good support as mentioned earlier but he deserves credit for controlling Everton’s strong offensive flank.

Mertesacker: Got into very good covering positions in the box which was a direct result of intelligent reading of the game. Passing was steady and safe.

Koscielny: Another player who had good presence in and around the box. Wasn’t tested as much as I’d expected. Was surprised he didn’t push up with the ball a bit more.

Gibbs: Good work rate up and down the flank. Was involved in a number of duels and did well in the defensive ones. Almost created one very good chance (no one attacked the six yard box).

The defenders had a good game and were largely in control of things against a physical side that is usually dominant in the air. They were forced into some desperate long punts early in the game but slowly gained greater control over their passing.

Arteta: Didn’t see as much of the ball as he usually does, particularly in the first half when Everton’s energy was palpable. Defensive support work was excellent and was mostly conservative with his passing choices and positioning.

Wilshere: Better than his effort in the last game. Despite that, there were a number of uncharacteristically misplaced passes and heavy touches. Needs time to regain sharpness but does Wenger have that luxury?

Ramsey: Continues his good work all over the pitch and is maturing into a fine box-to-box player. Created an excellent chance for Giroud, got on the end of a couple of opportunities and helped the defence on a consistent basis. It’s tough to call anyone the MotM after such a game but Ramsey would be a good choice if one had to be made.

Cazorla: Another player who made some uncharacteristically loose passes. Some of his individual skills, particularly under pressure from three or four players, were a delight to watch but he didn’t seem on top of his game.

The midfielders did a good job of supporting the defence but they were not able to break down Everton’s organization.

Giroud: As mentioned earlier, the chances he missed were more down to inexperience. Work rate was again exceptional. Showed for the ball on a consistent basis and did not shy away from physical battles. Passing could have been more composed.

Walcott: Saw very little of the ball. Was tied to right flank for most of his time on the pitch. Was on the receiving end of some bad fouls. Lost many of his attempts to take players on.

As I’ve noted on many occasions, Arsenal are more threatening when they can get the wide players moving horizontally as well as vertically. Didn’t happen in this game.

Subs: Oxlade-Chamberlain got into a great position and made the wrong choice. Podolski can do much better. Monreal gave away a cheap foul late in the game that could have proven costly.

Wenger: Will probably be disappointed with the draw but also pleased with the team’s defending. Still has to find a way to get more out of players like Podolski and Oxlade-Chamberlain. Arsenal’s set-pieces also have a lot of room for improvement.

The Gunners had a January deadline day bid for the French international rejected and are now going to try again with a £10 million offer in the summer.

Although manager Arsene Wenger has been reluctant to spend big in recent seasons, finding the money for Capoue should be no problem with Wenger having a reported £70 million available to spend at his disposal.

Arsenal may well find themselves in a battle with North London rivals Tottenham, who along with QPR, also tried to sign the 24-year-old in January according to his agent.

Although Arsenal only signed Nacho Monreal during the January transfer window, Wenger confirmed that they were close to another, which may well have been Capoue:

“We were close to one more signature. It was not a money problem – it was more a desire from the other club to keep their player.”

The defensive midfield position is likely to be Wenger’s priority in the summer having not fully replaced Alex Song since his departure to Barcelona.

If Arsenal again miss out on Capoue then they may well look to other targets who include Celtic’s Victor Wanyama, Maxime Gonalons of Lyon and Newcastle’s Cheick Tiote.