So Where Are Arsenal Now?
My last post was just over 4 months ago and that was after those shocking defeats against Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers.
Since then however, we’ve got our act together, that is until the last 3 games. Defeats against Manchester United, Swansea and Fulham have left us on the same number of points as Newcastle United and Liverpool. Not really where we would want to be after 22 games.
Let’s start with the positives however. Wojciech Szczesny has been a revelation. After years of suffering at the hands of dodgy goalkeepers, we finally have a commanding, confident and above all quality goalkeeper. Mikel Arteta has been excellent for us, giving Arsenal that experience in midfield which is vital for players such as Alex Song and Aaron Ramsey. Alex Song has been outstanding, fantastic at protecting the back four and for me is the most underrated player at the club - his superb vision and assists (to Henry and Van Persie in particular) have been an integral part of Arsenal’s recent upsurge in form.
Koscielny has really stepped out this season as well, with some truly outstanding performances this season. And Van Persie of course has been excellent as usual, that goes without saying.
Aaron Ramsey has also been very good, but we rely on him far too much and the poor kid needs a rest now and then.
But how about the negatives? Unfortunately there are quite a few of those.
Mertesacker just doesn’t cut it for me. I would be far more confident with a central partnership consisting of Koscielny, Vermaelen and Cahill. It’s not that Mertesacker isn’t a good player, I just don’t think he can do it in the Premier League.
Gervinho and Walcott have also been very disappointing. The Ivory Coast international just not adapted yet and Theo’s good performances are not regular enough.
But the biggest talking point (still) is the performance against Manchester United.
Walcott for me should have been the one to make way, and not Oxlade-Chamberlain. Walcott had been completely ineffective and after flashing a decent shot just wide and setting up Van Persie for the equalising goal The Ox deserved to see out the game. I don’t think anyone buys the excuse that he was tired.
But as if Arsene didn’t make one cock up with taking off Oxlade-Chamberlain, he brought on Arshavin.
How Wenger persists with Arshavin, who quite frankly couldn’t care less, is beyond me. We had Benayoun on the bench who is a complete professional and gives 110% whenever he gets into the pitch. For me, he was the far more logical choice to replace Oxlade-Chamberlain, if you had to take him off.
We’ve got a set of “winable” fixtures coming up against Aston Villa, Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn and Sunderland and anything else than decent performances and results could mean a disastrous hit to our season. And a simple match against AC Milan beckons after that.
I can’t see Arsenal making the Top Four anymore. Maybe a couple of weeks ago yes, but our frailties are too obvious and we are deep into a slump.
Maybe a season out of the Champions League would be a good thing - Arsenal could rebuilt and re-evaluate how the club is run.
January 25th, 2012 at 8:42 pm
Do you watch the games? Ramsey has been the worst player at Arsenal since the start of the season. How many goals has he scored? How many assists does he have? How many key passes has he made? How many key defensive tackles has he made? How many times has he tracked back. Sorry to inform when you check those stats you will find he is by far the worst midfield player we have.
He is a defensive liability. Dishonest to his team mates (pretending to be injured) after giving the ball away against Swansea and hollywood.
He slows the ball down in every move that involves him. Thats why we look so poor going forward. Do you think he would have seen the opportunity that Oxlade created for RVP? In the key cesc position he has been woeful.
January 25th, 2012 at 8:56 pm
Ramsey has been far from very good, a shadow of his pre-injury self and I think he needs an Arteta or a Wilshere next to him to help him out, his vision seems to be there but his execution is woeful and has just turned into a slow sideways player
January 25th, 2012 at 9:16 pm
Ah, a real supporter I see; only posts when things are bad. Just the type we need at Arsenal. Why don’t you rename this blog afcforbadtimes.com? btw, the stuff you write is total cr@p, you have no idea.
January 25th, 2012 at 9:29 pm
Ramsey looks similar to Denilson during his 1st season. He runs, receives passes and then pass sideways. We need Wilshere to play along side Arteta
Ramsey should not be an anchor midfield man for a team like Arsenal at the moment, he’s no there yet. Can you compare him with Xavi of Barca, Modric of the Toth’m, etc. I’m afraid my beloved Arsenal is fading.
January 25th, 2012 at 9:55 pm
Criticism of Ramsey is a bit harsh, he is a kid doing a mans job, its not his fault we sold Nasri and Cesc and replaced them with shit. Simple fact is he is not ready yet but he is one for the future and to write him off is not right.
January 25th, 2012 at 10:04 pm
The way many of you so-called supporters have turned on Ramsey is sickening really. He’s back for his first full season after having his leg snapped by that Stoke animal, and has been playing a lot more than expected due to the loss of Jack.
Seriously, you’re like a group of spoilt children pissing and moaning when things don’t go your way.
You are disgraceful
January 25th, 2012 at 10:47 pm
Did Arshavin and co catch Wenger screwing a monkey in lingerie and have evidence that is the only reason I can see why Wenger still has them at Arsenal co=Diaby Chamakh Djuorou Squillaci Almunia etc players picking up a paycheck for nothing
January 25th, 2012 at 11:06 pm
What is so depressing is that where we are now is a repatition of the past few seasons….
top of the EPL injury table, & reliant on inexperienced and/or average squad players with Le Boss
failing to take measures to cover this. It’s the same old story…lets wait for the (injury prone) players to come back & stay fit …ie take a gamble. For an intelligent man he’s sure slow to learn.
Tke Gibbs & Sagna for example. Even if they do come back within 10 days we have no cover for them should they get injured within a couple of months. It looks very much like there’s a desperate belief that a returning Jack Wilshere will save the season. I sencerely hope so, but again, the gamble is that he’s going to come back where he left off last season & that h’ll stay injury free.
As for Ramsey, he’s OK, but that’s all. Like Theo, one stand out performance in every 5 games. A good, let alone great player is consistant. I get tired of hearing about how young he is, or that he’s being over played. Lame excuses!!
January 25th, 2012 at 11:47 pm
Aaron Ramsey is still only a back up with potential but been forced to play every week. As for Song you must be joking he’s a lazy un talented liability, his passing is dreadful and against the top sides he hides. He only has 1 good game in 5 he is way behind Parker, Tiote and Barry. Arteta has been ok Benayoun waste of time Gervinho average needs to improve same with Theo. Ox looks great as of course RVP who needs help hopefully Wilshire will bring that creativity. At the back Vermaelen top player but a sick note Koscielny outstanding but Djourou and Mertseker pathetic. Santos looks like improving Gibbs forget him Sagna miss him big time. Keeper great at last. Finally Arshavin Diaby and Squillaci get out. We have declined so much and the board and Wenger are totally to blame. Madrid help yourselves and give us Jose please now that would wake Arsenal up.
January 26th, 2012 at 12:15 am
I was attacked by many gooners when I commented on Ramilson few weeks ago, I recalled what happened to me when I said the same thing about Denilson years ago. If anyone still feel that Ramilson is still good enough for us, FARK YOU. For those who feel he is still young and he would develop, FARK YOU. If you don’t agree with me that this idiot is gonna drag us down the table. FARK YOU, FARK YOU BIG TIME!
January 26th, 2012 at 1:29 am
Arsene has very few choices really, tiny squad, yes awful sub, yes some crap players, agree with it all etc etc so yes all stating the obvious BUT the real culprit I’m sad to say is fizman selling out to kroenke who owns a whole load of crap teams in the USA & turning us into the same on HIS WATCH… In his first season, I’m not surprised he is a disaster… He is the OWNER there is NO board… It’s all down to him… I’m staggered at how much is said about arsene & arshavin all fair comments but all small issues about a few games…. when the real problem is totally ignored…. This yank owner is never there unlike me at Swansea & going to the San siro… kroenke is THE PROBLEM he is killing our club, it’s dying slowly in front of our eyes!!
Usmanov however 29% has no seat on the board from kroenke which is a joke is a fan, goes, has a box, wants to pay off our debt, wants to give arsene whatever he wants, wants Dein ….. Wake up!!!
January 26th, 2012 at 3:54 am
Problem with Ramsey is that he hasn’t made the same sort of impact as Jack. Sometimes I wonder what his role is. But our squad is so thin we can’t even afford to give him a rest. The balance of the squad is predictable and unbalanced. We have too many similar players that we can’t even change our tactics, and this is a reflection of the managers’ tactical knowledge.
January 26th, 2012 at 7:57 am
Problem with Ramsey is that he thinks slowly, not very capably technically and often does long runs with the ball instead of making passes.
About Song, I cannot help but he looks like he plays with walkman around his head. His liability about MU second was the most, with Vermaelen, but nobody talks about it.
January 26th, 2012 at 9:19 am
You so called fan’s make me laugh,alway’s a scapegoat when the chips are down.Now your sick turning on Ramsey a young talent that has come back from a shocking injury and now he’s looking tired we just turn on him???
You want players to come here and they won’t because of all these money bitches that nag more than the wife and just turn on the hate when things don’t go there way.Our support is the worst in the country.
January 26th, 2012 at 11:37 am
Aaron Ramsey is an excellent player, no way anyone should be making a scapegoat of him. Excellent pass-finder and also finds himself in some great positions inside the 18 yard box. Yes, his finishing could be better, but that will come in time. As has been said here many times, he is being played to death by Wenger, and needs a rest. Similarly, Arteta has been played to death and is injured. Wenger says we have a big enough squad, but once a player is injured, we rely too much on his one replacement, and then we end up seeing below par performances on the pitch.
I personally believe that Ramsey is better used as a Central Midfielder alongside Arteta, with Song as DM.
Who would play as Attacking midfielder you ask? Why not Arshavin, his wing-play isnt great, even when we was playing enthusiastically. Give him a go behind RVP.
Wenger and his method of playing people out of position; due to his success in transforming Henry and Cesc, he feels he can do that with any player,
February 1st, 2012 at 1:45 pm
This blog is crap! Been playin well for weeks & no comments. all of a sudden after losing 3 consecutive matches cos arteta & gervinho were absent we start seein d comments again! My verdict - Ramsey needs time to be ripe enough (maybe 2 seasons -remember Nasri & CR7?). Gervinho is an excellent player, holds d ball, causes trouble in defence but only problem is finishing. Song is one of the best players in EPL. Do you dudes watch matches at all? Dont u see d quality of Songs assists? Mertesacker - good but not good enuf 4 arsenal. Walcott - needs to be consistent. Santos - brilliant! really a brazillian. I dont think we lack players (afterall what does manure really have in their squad?) its technical ability and discipline of d coach that is lacking