Sunderland Trick Or Treat??

     

Arsenal Train Ahead of Sunderland Courtesy Arsenal.com

Fresh of the back of a midweek win against Reading, the Arsenals Train grinds down for a quick stop at Sunderland this Saturday in an early kickoff, it’s been a bright rebound for the gunners since the season kickoff defeat at the Emirates, Unbeaten in 8 league games so far and 13 in all competitions. The form book is definitely with Arsenal despite the slight stuttering performance of late. On the other hand, the stadium of light has been anything but bright since the start of the season, no wins in 9…hopefully 10 matches, only 2 points from two draws. it’s like Halloween has well and truly made its home there darkening any potential reasons for light. Their last two games saw them put up spirited fight against West Ham and then Southampton in the League cup but still ended up losing by a lone goal. That has been the story of David Moyes team so far, conceding late goals and throwing away hard to come by leading positions. I for one don’t think David Moyes has helped his case, going by some of his unsavory comments has made recently. When your coach says:

“Ultimately you have to have good players on the pitch and at the moment we are not getting good enough players on the pitch. We need to get a better team it’s as simple as that. We need to get a team which can give us results”…

Quite harsh if you ask me, he basically says the current players aren’t good enough to get them the results he needs. That’s some curious way to motivate ya players to play for you…..ask Mourinho he is a specialist in blaming his players and everyone he could but himself. Having said all that Defoe is still a threat @34 and Arsenal has kinda staggered over the line in the league of late too. We narrowly beat Burnley, then Stalemating at the borough hurdle last weekend. It’s not been the vintage Arsenal we have come to start enjoying of late, maybe due to the number of games coming in thick and fast are beginning to pile up. There was that missing bit of our “special zip” in our last game against Middlesbrough. 

   Our Injury list has added Perez into its scalps with him being out for about 6weeks due to an ankle injury from a nasty tackle by Reading’s Gravenberch while there are doubts over Walcott, Nacho and Santi, who are key men. On Perez, I am sure the young man is gutted by the setback just when you sensed he was starting to get some game time. It’s not all bad new though as we have Giroud back and Ramsey is on the cusp of returning fully. The Beauty of this scenario is it gives Wenger food for thought. Does Giroud come back to spearhead our attack or does Wenger continue with what’s worked thus far, Alexis up top or do we just go with both as a front two? Whatever the answer is, we have some form of competition for starting berths and this new fight for places is good for the Gunners. Arsenal has so far been without Ramsey, Giroud and Welbz yet we sit joint top, granted that its early days, but, you have to admit the times are looking much better than what we used to have…….Giroud as our only strike option, without quality backup. Now Iwobi is emerging, even Sir Alex Ferguson was quoted saying he had been impressed by the young lad. Will the Ox also look at Walcott and fire up his guts for glory by becoming more consistent? Arsene claims his problem is within himself, a fragile confidence it seems. Whatever the team we are putting out, I hope we get the treat end of Halloween by claiming 3 points. If  you look at Sunderland, they seem to be currently in a rut that I would want Arsenal to take advantage.  A win for the us, add another clean sheet and use the chance to rack up our “goals for” column cuz that might decide places later on in the league. The predicted line is below depending on injuries prevailing.

Subs:  Ospina, Giroud, Jenkinson, Rene Adelaide, Walcott, Ramsey.

Image Credit: The Uk Guardian

 Anyway I hope for a win whether by a lone goal or by a floodgate of goals, it dont matter. Dont forget to like comment and share,  enjoy the game wherever you are.....Ciao

The Ox In the Box Double Seals The WIn

     Did you know Arsenal has only won the League cup 2 times in it’s over one hundred year history, with the last one coming as far back as 1993? Did you also know that the EFL cup happens to be the only domestic trophy that has so far eluded Wenger since becoming Arsenal manager?  Just a historical recap on the English League Cup formerly the Carling cup now EFL cup. Arsenal got back to winning ways and gave Arsene Wenger a consolatory belated 67^th Birthday gift with a 2-0 win over Reading at the Emirates that saw them book a quarter final berth. Our first in about four years, tells you how terrible our run in the EFL has been in recent times. We started the game brightly, bossing the midfield possession with some quick movement and passing. Al-Habsi in goal for Reading, was called to action in the first ten minutes when Jenkinson got off a shot to test the waters after a sweeping move from Iwobi to Oxlade then Jenks. The game went on more like a casual friendly with a laid back tempo, a few scuffs here and there but not at that highly competitive level we normally get in the premiership.  Arsenal finally broke the deadlock in the 33^rd minute through Ox who I must say, based on his recent performances seems to be slowly working his way back to form, plus he is scoring goals ….hopefully I haven’t jinxed him with another groin or hamstring pull coming for him. Niles did a pirouette dance just outside Reading’s penalty box with some nifty footwork before getting of a shot that went way over the bar for a Reading goal Kick. AL-Habsi decided to go short by playing out from the back but his defender made a harsh of it as Perez closed him down the ball fell for Chamberlain who ran at the two defenders from the right edge before lashing a diagonal ball into the far corner of beyond the outstretched Al-Habsi.
   1-0 to Arsenal

I really don’t know what the sudden craze about playing from the back is in today’s football, what happened to safety first?  City , Liverpool, Barcelona all obsessed with this play from the back concept. Considering the fact that Jaap Stam, a former defensive stalwart is their manager, one would expect better but I guess mistakes do happen. Reading tried to respond but the half played out at Arsenal 1-0 up.

     Second half came, we continued to dominate but couldn’t quite kill of the game and that was a cause for concern. Giroud 60 came on as a 60+ minute sub, his immediate impact was a fine header from a free kick. Al-Habsi made a fine save with the follow up header from Gabriel also cleared of the line by Lee. Ox again interchanged some passes on the left with Willock and Giroud before getting off a fine shot for Al-Habsi to again beat into the path of oncoming Iwobi, who lost his footing for another wasted goal scoring opportunity. Arsenal know how to make opposition keepers look good with poor finishing but they were knocking on the door for the second goal. Iwobi again snapped of a curling shot that was tipped over the bar. Our second goal duly came from none other than the Ox himself in the 78^th minute from the ensuing corner kick. Rob holding managed to keep the ball in play from an over hit cross, he dazzled a defender away before making for the byline, his cut back found Giroud who chested down and teed up Oxlade. The Ox obliged with shot that took a deflection into the next. Al-Habsi was left on the ground deflated from the wrong footing. The rest of the match was seen out without fuss, but for a header on target that Emilio had covered Reading rarely threatened.

     So what’s to be read into this match? Nothing really, we won, into the last 8 for the first time in 4 years, we had another clean, our sheet 6^th in our last 8 matches. Just another good day at the office I would say plus the opportunity for the young guns to play another 90 minutes. I like Maitland Niles in midfield very impressive again. Paired with ElNeny behind Iwobi, he was very tidy in possession with skill to get out of tight spots. ElNeny also played well too, he broke up play and got our balls to the wings very nicely. I would have loved to see more from Jeff, he has that next BIG thing tag but I am yet to be wowed like other Arsenal fans, he has time. Iwobi, a class above the other young stars, why not when he plays regularly with the big boizzz, he just needs to improve his finishing to become worlds class. Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, Man of the match, got us going on the wings, combined well with Jenks and gave us two fine goals on either half of the match. I hope he continues to progress, he is power and skill combined but highly inconsistent…..so can he finally kick on this season? That's the BIG question, he doesn’t have as much time to prove himself though. Our defenders did their bit too, not stretched much by the opposition, tougher tests await them. All in all, a good run out for the young gunners with Gibbs captaining us to another win and I hope We go all the way to win, yeah I can dream cant I?? Till the draws for the quarter finals are made, I see Man United have won against city…..guess you cant have it all, here’s my salute to the boiz…..Ciao 

Arsene's Party Pooped With Borough Stalemate

    So how did that go?? Well Arsene had to settle for communion wine (Heard he is catholic or was) instead of the champagne we planned. Middlesbrough came with a plan and stuck to it, they got that point they came for, might have been all 3 if not for Cech and the woodwork. Full credit to them, you cant fault an oppositions work ethic when its industrious even if it means sticking a twist into ya cruise control. Arsenal did not have a plan B to borough's organisation at the back, hence could not break down a resolute defence. We mentioned it before that while they have lost games, they have only lost one by more than a goal margin and that was telling if you asked me. The game started with Arsenals usual style of trying to overwhelm the opposition with some sleek movement of the ball which was good to watch at times. The flow however didn’t deliver this time as they stayed compact and organised. For all our more than 75% possession in the first 20 minutes we never caused Valdes any sort of concern in their goal. Lots of possession little penetration!!! Özil seemed a little jaded and Walcott didnt have that verve he has shown in recent weeks, or could it be that we missed the ambi-dexterity of Santi in midfield. He gives arsenal more penetration from deep with his incisive passes, no offence to Elneny and Coq but none of them come close to the Spaniards nifty or craft. 

Image Credits: Arsenaldotcom.

    Arsenal's initial dominance waned as the first half wore on then Middlesbrough settled into the game and started to turn the tide. It just wasn’t happening for the gunners, what was more worrying was that Cech was the busier of both keepers coming up with a double save in the first half just to keep us in the game from Traore and Negredo …first, then Gaston Ramirez stuck the post with a sweet free kick that left Cech almost tearing his own net as he tried to reach the ball, thank God it missed the target [top right corner it was headed]. Cech was again quick to save from a far post header by Ramirez. Cech was really our man of the match with these saves. We had our own moments but our final balls were a bit too short or too long, summing up our frustrating day at the office. Ozill and Alexis both struck freekicks into far far row Z and Victor Valdes safe punch respectively. Middlesbrough went into the half with their tails up. The second half was a bit tame from borough with the same approach, stay compact and hit them on the break. The gladly let us have the ball to dominate possession without us penetrating their banks of four. Arsenal brought on Perez and Ox for Neny and Iwobi but the closes we came to a winner was an Özil goal that was rightfully disallowed for offside. Arsene Wenger said post match which captures the mood nicely.

“We had a lot of the ball but that’s not enough to win games., it was a frustrating match”match

not so good but a point is better than none. Put into context the fact that Man United got tanked at the bridge and all top 3 drew at the weekend. Not so bad then, 2 points dropped but still joint top of the table......glass half full init??

    We welcome Reading at the Emirates tonight in an EFL 4th round cup tie, after our performance this past weekend, it’s a bit foolhardy not to thread with caution while expecting us to still do enough for a win. Its understandable that we will be rotating a lot for this match, after all its our 4^th game in 8 days, that’s a lot. Jenkinson is back while Oliver Giroud is a possible feature as he returns from his mysterious toe injury that’s kept him out of the team this long. Ramsey is totally out as is Danny Wellbeck. I expect the same Team that beat Forrest last month to take to the pitch, without Xhaka who serves his second match ban while Akpom sits out due to an injury.... hopefully they can do the business by getting a win to keep us still unbeaten……Consolation for Wenger too. My line up will see a couple of changes:

Subs: Ospina,Jenkinson, Giroud, Wilcock, Zelalem, Bielik, Macey.

  Anyway thats it from the me, hope you enjoy the game wherever you are, do share the post.....Ciaoo