Monthly Archives: March 2007

Where Do Arsenal Go From Here?

Posted on by
24

I love being right usually but unfortunately my prediction yesterday that PSV will score at the Emirates and therefore Arsenal would need to score 3 goals to progress ended up coming true.

So what happens now?

I’m not sure to be honest. Arsene has a lot of thinking to do, and despite all the highs of the season with the young squad the fact is Arsenal have been dumped out of 3 competitions in the space of 11 days.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that Arsenal need a rehaul in the squad – we have a fantastic defence when all the options available, with Toure, Gallas, Senderos, Djourou, Eboue, Hoyte and Clichy who are more than capable at the back. Our midfield is also strong with Gilberto, Cesc, Denilison, Diaby and Flamini and we have Freddie, Hleb and Rosicky who can play out wide.

Our problem is in attack.

Arsenal create so many chances that the Chelsea, Blackburn and PSV Eindhoven games should have been finished in the first 60 minutes.

We do not have anyone who can put the ball into the net.

We don’t have a Drogba and we don’t have a Benni McCarthy – proper strikers and typical centre forwards who know how to finish.

These guys need one chance and they will score.

And unfortunately for us they proved it in the Carling Cup and FA Cup games against us.

Last night when Arsenal opened the scoring thanks to an Alex own goal, Cesc and Adebayor had big big chances to put the game beyond doubt.

I even ended up asking myself does Arsene actually practice finishing?

To create so many clear cut chances and not take them is criminal and has cost us the season.

The problem is Thierry Henry is not as direct as he used to be and for some reason seems less ruthless in attack. Possibly he is suffering from a lack of service from the likes of Vieira and Bergkamp who used to create excellent openings for him and feels that he needs to be more creative himself for the good of the team.

Van Persie’s absence has not helped, although can you rely on him to score 30 goals a season which is something we need?

He is the most clinical player in the team but we can’t rely on one man.

When we went unbeaten in the league you could pick out a number of players would could score – Pires, Freddie, Bergkamp and Henry were the favourites but we also had a knack of scoring with our defenders too.

Goals win games and we’ve been suffering this season.

 

The Fact Is Arsenal Need 3 Goals Tonight

Posted on by
16

PSV Eindhoven will score tonight.

And Arsenal will have to give one of the performances of the season so far to progress to the next round.

PSV are one of those European teams who are efficient, organised and generally under-rated and that was our downfall in the first leg when we conceded the lead in Holland.

Would we have been so sloppy if we were against Real Madrid, Barcelona or AC Milan?

And a big problem is that in Heurelho Gomes they have a goalkeeper who is immense. Arsenal will have to be super-clinical if they are to beat him tonight.

How many times have we seen this before? Arsenal have dominated at home and remain undefeated, but we have a problem (or possibly curse) or conceding at the Emirates.

Matthew Taylor, Rafael van der Vaart, Denny Landzaat and Shabani Nonda are just some of the players who have pulled out spectacular goals when Arsenal have been seemingly in the driving seat.

So Arsenal will have to be careful.

PSV can sit back and they will get chances to steal a goal on the break and even if Arsenal score they still know one goal will settle the tie.

But even though I think PSV will score, I still believe that Arsenal have enough at home to progress – and we have a knack of putting the pressure on late in games at the Emirates, just like against United, Wigan and Spurs in the Carling Cup.

The big news is that Thierry has been considered fit enough to start tonight if Wenger sees fit. Only Wenger knows if Henry can do a job tonight and I’m sure his decision hasn’t been helped by the long-term injury to Van Persie and the lack of finishing from Baptista and Aliadiere against Blackburn last week.

Eboue and Hoyte are out, so it looks like Djourou will fill in at right back. Senderos, Flamini and Rosicky are also out so you would expect Freddie and Hleb to play on the wings tonight and stretch a defensive PSV side. Toure returns from domestic suspension and will play alongside Gallas with Clichy on the left.

Diaby is also in the squad but with Freddie’s clinical finishing you would think the Swede would start tonight despite just coming back from injury recently.

Gilberto is expected to go back into midfield after a couple of games at centre-back and scored a good headed goal against Reading at the weekend and I have a feeling that we’ll need his aerial presence tonight!

Walcott, Baptista and Aliadiere are all in the squad as well but you would expect Thierry’s dancing partner Adebayor to start against Eindhoven. He has so much energy, can create all sorts of problems and hopefully it will be one of those nights where the front two click.

Arsene recognises that we have to be ruthless when we’re presented with chances, and lets hope we’ve been saving our goals for tonight after missing numerous chances against Blackburn, Chelsea and PSV in the first leg.

There is no doubt Arsenal will create enough chances tonight – but will they take them?