Arsenal must do better against Man U in front of their home fans.
The Gunners will want to avenge the 8-2 loss at Old Trafford by beating Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, but Arsenal’s depleted defence will not make victory any easier this time around.
As always, Arsene Wenger’s injury list is long. Mikel Arteta, who is suffering from a calf problem, will not play against the Red Devils, and Thomas Vermaelen is very unlikely to make an appearance. On Friday, Wenger said that Thierry Henry’s participation would be determined by a fitness test on his injured calf on Saturday.
The Gunners are very short on defenders, especially full-backs. Bacary Sagna, Carl Jenkinson, Kieran Gibbs, Andre Santos, and Francis Coquelin will be absent from the match on Sunday. The managers said he would review his options after the game against United, but the worry is that Ferguson’s men could reap huge benefits from our lack of experience at the back.
Manchester United will also be missing a few key players. Striker Danny Welbeck’s availability is in doubt, while Anderson, Tom Cleverly, Ashley Young, Nemanja Vidic, and Darren Fletcher will definitely sit out the match. Rio Ferdinand’s involvement is yet to be determined, but, from what I’ve seen, he is on the decline anyway. Usually serving as nothing more than a door-stop at Old Trafford, Michael Owen will play no part in the match. He also has a thigh injury.
Despite all of the talk from both managers, the Gunners will surely be out for revenge after the thrashing that took place in Manchester earlier in the season. The embarrassement that ensued from that humiliating experience has been close to unbearable for many Gooners. We want to put the 8-2 wordplay jokes to bed with a victory at the Emirates.
Robin van Persie made it clear that the Gunners are seeking to settle the score with the Red Devils: “What happened against Manchester United at Old Trafford is a motivation, for sure. I’d never lost a match 8-2 before so I’m hungry to put that right, as is the entire team.” (Source: Arsenal.com)
Of course, much has changed since the collapse at Old Trafford. Manchester United, who looked unstoppable in August and September, have been humbled. Arsenal went on to regain form but the scars still remain. Several of United’s stars have fallen to injury, which has caused their robust attack to cool a bit. Meanwhile, the Gunners back four looked as weak as ever against Swansea last week.
Robin van Persie has emerged as the top goalscorer in the Premier League, and Sir Alex Ferguson believes that his team needs to hold the Dutchman:
“It has become a case of stop Van Persie and you stop Arsenal. His form has been fantastic this season and his goal record speaks for itself. I hope he doesn’t add to it this weekend.” (Source: The Guardian)
If van Persie goes up against the young centre-back pairing of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling (which is entirely possible), he may be able to have his way. Jones loves to get forward, which should provide extra space in behind for the Dutchman. However, if Jones and Smalling start, Walcott and the other Arsenal winger (whoever that may be) will have trouble using their pace. If Ferdinand plays, Theo will certainly be more effective, although possibly at the expense of van Persie, who would likely be closely marked by the English centre-half.
One similarity between the two clubs is that both have recently signed a former legend. Henry made his triumphant return against Leeds, while Paul Scholes found the back of the net last week against Bolton. Speaking about Scholes, Henry said that Arsenal sides of the past were “always scared” of the midfielder because he can “kill you.” Although Thierry mentioned the Manchester United man’s skill and vision, Scholes’ method of choice happens to be thrusting the studs of his boot into the leg of an opposing player.
As much as Henry fears Scholes, I fear more the outcome of the match on Sunday. With the exception of Laurent Koscielny, our defenders are no stronger than they were in August, as evidenced by the defeats at Swansea and Fulham. However, Manchester United are decidedly weaker in every way than they were at the start of the season. Still, after all the progress Arsene Wenger’s team has made since the demolition at Old Trafford, Arsenal’s form has reverted back to unspeakable lows in recent weeks. Unfortunately, I can not envision anything other than a Manchester United win, though I desperately hope my prediction is wrong.
On Friday, Arsene Wenger said that it would be a disaster if his side finished outside of the top four this season. Earlier in the week, chairman Peter Hill-Wood said it wouldn’t be a disaster if the Gunners miss out on the Champions League.
At his pre-Man United press conference, Arsene Wenger was asked whether finishing out of the top four would be a disaster: “For me it would be [a disaster] because I want to play with the best. We want to be in there, in the top four, and to play in the Champions League. Anything else would not be good enough.” (Source: Arsenal.com)
Contrast those comments to what Hill-Wood told the Daily Star a couple of days ago: “From a financial point of view, not qualifying for the Champions League is quite a blow. We have been planning for not qualifying every year, so it is not a disaster, but it would be nice if we could.”
The manager seems to have much more ambition than the the chairman who represents the board of directors. With the lack of squad investment in recent years, it would be silly to believe that Arsenal’s entire self-sustaining financial model would come crumbling down just because of the extra cash generated by participation in the Champions League. If we do finish outside the top four, the football side of the club will feel much more of a negative impact than the financial side.
Robin van Persie could be the first to depart if we drop out of the top four. At 28, van Persie is in the prime of his career, so he may not have the patience to wait for Arsenal to rebuild themselves back into a Champions League side. However, the Dutchman may feel some loyalty to Arsene Wenger, who brought the striker to the club at a young age and named him captain at the beginning of this season. Though, based on recent history, these factors alone are not enough to keep a player in North London (see: Cesc).
Apart from van Persie, there are not many other players who would interest Champions League clubs. Some of the current players should count their lucky stars that they are playing for Arsenal because they are already punching above their weight. Surely, Sebastien Squillaci, Andrei Arshavin, Marouane Chamakh, Tomas Rosicky, Johan Djourou, Ju Young Park, and Manuel Almunia wouldn’t interest any top European clubs, especially considering their wages.
The real problem would be luring top-quality players to the Emirates. Liverpool and Spurs have been able to sign a few good footballers in recent year, but neither club insists on running a transfer surplus every season. If we do fall out of the Champions League, there will need to be dramatic changes to our transfer policy. Namely, we will need stop selling our best players without replacing them with similar quality players. In fact, we may even be forced to improve the squad in order to fight our way back into the Champions League positions.
In order to avoid the disaster or non-disaster, depending on your viewpoint, Arsenal will need to avoid a third consecutive league defeat on Sunday against Manchester United, or Wenger’s disaster may become inevitable.
Wilshere could return much sooner than previously thought.
Jack Wilshere has amazed doctors with his quick recovery, which could see him back on the pitch in two weeks. Thierry Henry may miss the chance to face Manchester United due to a calf injury, while Thomas Vermaelen will likely make his return in the big clash on Sunday.
According to The Guardian, Wilshere will start full training next week. The English midfielder has not played yet this season because of an ankle fracture. Arsene Wenger has repeatedly stated in press conferences that the target date for Wilshere’s return was mid-February, but now Jack could play in the Bolton match at the earliest. The goal for Wilshere is to be completely ready for the first leg against AC Milan in the Champions League Round of 16.
Arsene Wenger may not sign any more players in January, but Jack Wilshere could certainly serve as the ’new signing.’ His return will definitely boost the team in a number of ways, not least of which on the pitch. It would be foolish to believe that the 19-year old will be able to single-handedly drag us back in the top four, but Wilshere can aide the overworked midfield trio of Song, Ramsey, and Arteta.
According to The Telegraph, Thierry Henry suffered a calf injury in training on Tuesday which could keep him out of game against Manchester United on Sunday. Arsene Wenger had planned to start the Gunners’ all-time top goalscorer, but the manager will now have to wait for medical staff to scan Henry’s leg.
The worst part of this story is that Andrei Arshavin could end up starting against United. Surely Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would be a better option, but Wenger seems to have taken up a policy of easing the English winger into the first-team squad. If Arshavin does start, it will be a fantastic opportunity for the little Russian to show his manager, fans, and critics that he can still perform highly for the Gunners. This chance could be his last.
According to the London Evening Standard, Thomas Vermaelen is on track to play against Manchester United. The Belgian centre-back last featured in the 1-0 win against QPR and has been out with a calf problem ever since. Also, Mikel Arteta, who missed the match against Swansea due to a muscle strain, may also be fit to face United at the Emirates Stadium.
The defence has been decimated by injuries in recent weeks, so the return of a defender is always a positive sign. With five full-backs still sidelined, Vermaelen will likely slide in at left-back, which is a position that appears to be cursed. Regular left-back Keiran Gibbs has had constant injury problems. His replacement, Andre Santos, is out long-term with ligament damage. Vermaelen replaced Santos on the left before succumbing to an injury himself. Midfielder Francis Coquelin was brought in to fill the position, and then he hurt his hamstring. Young centre-back Ignasi Miquel played left-back in South Wales and was exposed on numerous occasions, which was to be anticipated considering his unfamiliarity with the position and his age (19).
Unfortunately, Vermaelen will be forced into the left-back spot even though he is clearly our best central defender. If Wenger had the full squad available, the ideal centre-back pairing would be Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny. However, the return of the Belgian should at least improve the positional sense along the backline.
Arteta was sorely missed when the Gunners fell 3-2 to Swansea. Arsenal had trouble keeping the ball away from the swarming Swans, and Arteta is very adept at protecting possession. His veteran presence in the centre of the park would have settled a very unorganised midfield. Hopefully, he will be available to face the Red Devils.
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood said that it would not be a disaster if the Gunners fail to finish in the top four this season and miss out on the Champions League. Meanwhile, the British press and some supporters are wrongly calling for Arsene Wenger to be sacked.
Hill-Wood has been known to anger many Gooners, including myself, with his comments to the press. On Tuesday, he told the Daily Star:
“From a financial point of view, not qualifying for the Champions League is quite a blow. We have been planning for not qualifying every year, so it is not a disaster, but it would be nice if we could.”
The lack of urgency from the board is astounding. Of course, Arsenal should be able to stay afloat financially without the Champions League money, but, from a footballing stance, not qualifying for the Champions League could have very detrimental repercussions. Arsene Wenger would have trouble luring quality players to North London and keeping the current stars at the club.
Hill-Wood’s words almost sound like the board have been expecting the team not to finish in the top four. Considering the amount of cash spend in recent years, possibly the “plan” is to count on Wenger working miracles year after year. Qualifying for the Champions League consistently has been the manager’s great accomplishment since the move from Highbury.
While many Gooners, myself included, ask for more than just simply qualifying for the European Cup, Wenger’s success in this area cannot go unrecognised. He has had to deal with selling some of his best players and not investing the fees paid for those players back into the squad. Instead, our manager has scouted the globe to find little-known gems in the dust. Whether the board are limiting Wenger’s spending power or the manager is not spending due to his own philosophy matter’s little when considering the club’s performances on the pitch. Simply put, Arsene gets the best out of his players, and, because of that, he is one of the best managers in the world.
After throwing money around for years and after seasons of underachieving, Spurs are finally having some success, which is unfortunate timing considering the state of our club. Manchester City and Chelsea have jumped ahead of us only because of their massive spending over the last several years. It would be unrealistic to ask our club to spend as much as them, and, even then, many supporters would not like Arsenal to become the new club participating in what Wenger calls “financial doping.” Liverpool continue to throw money at overpriced English players in an effort to return to Europe’s premier club competition, yet they still haven’t overtaken us.
We should ignore the silly articles currently running in the papers, such as two stories in The Sun which were published on Wednesday. The first is a great example of lazy journalism. Six sentences reporting that Arsene Wenger will not buy any additional players in this transfer window. Of course, there are no sources, but what do you expect from The Sun?
The second piece is a bit more expansive, but still lacks substance. The column basically calls for Wenger’s head while suggesting replacements such as Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers and Norwich manager Paul Lambert. Perhaps these two managers will someday be good choices but neither are in Arsene Wenger’s class. Remember when many in the press were anointing Owen Coyle as the successor to Wenger? It is laughable now. Until they have extended success in the Premier League, Rodgers and Lambert could very well be in Coyle’s position a year from today.
Judging by the number of comments below each story, it is easy to see why the press choose to publish these absurd hit pieces. The articles are controversial and, because they cover “Arsenal crisis”, garner a lot of attention, both from Gooners and supporters from other top clubs. If only the media was not so sensationalist…
By no means is Arsene Wenger perfect, but he is one of the best managers in world football. He has deficiencies, but not many could do any better than he has done, especially considering the relatively low amount of money spent on transfers in recent years. He has an immense amount of loyalty to Arsenal, and it would be a shame if we turn our backs on him now.
Little Leon Britton, a former Arsenal youth player, was fantastic on Sunday.
Swansea City thoroughly outplayed, outworked, and outpassed the Gunners at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday. Not even Thierry Henry could save Arsenal from their terrible defending and under-performing attackers.
The last time a newly-promoted side beat Arsene Wenger’s team and controlled more of the possession was… well, never. A group of mostly British players from the lower divisions soundly defeated the Gunners at their own game. Brendan Rodgers has transformed his side into the Welsh Barcelona, and, for that, he deserves the praise of everyone that enjoys positive football.
Our trouble retaining the ball was due to the absence of Mikel Arteta, who was missing due to injury. The Spanish midfielder usually takes up an unassuming role in the middle of the park, but he rarely makes a bad pass. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Aaron Ramsey. Playing in his home country of Wales, Ramsey was partly responsible for Swansea City’s first two goals. It was another dreadful day for the terribly inconsistent midfielder.
Given the extreme amount of injuries to their defenders, it was expected that Arsenal’s back four would struggle to hold Swansea. The unorganised backline was dismantled by Leon Britton, Nathan Dyer, Danny Graham, and company. Laurent Koscielny has continued to improve, but it can be difficult to cope when your defensive partner is Per Mertesacker. When the big German pushes forward or is dragged out of position, it can literally take an eternity for him to recover. As for Djourou and Miquel, they did alright considering they are both reserve centre-backs playing as full-backs.
The current Arsenal club motto is “Forward,” but how can they expect to move in that direction while dragging dead weight like Andrei Arshavin. The little Russian was simply pathetic at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain injected electricity into the attack after he came on in the 77th minute, which begs the question: How the hell does Arshavin get more playing time than the Ox?
Theo Walcott is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, surrounded by an enigma. Apart from his goal, he provided absolutely nothing. Usually, when Theo is in good form, he cannot produce the quality finish that is needed. Against Swansea, Walcott clipped his strike over the keeper to even the score at 2-2, but, only seconds later, Graham scored the winner for the Swans.
Most Gooners will hate to admit it, but Thierry Henry was partly at fault for Swansea’s third and final goal. The television cameras didn’t react quick enough to for the viewers to see Henry make the sloppy pass that lead to Graham’s far-post finish. The goal against Leeds will forever live in my memory, but hopefully the rest of Thierry’s stay will not resemble his performance in South Wales.
According to reports in Monday’s papers, Henry clashed with an Arsenal supporter after the final whistle. Apparently, our all-time top goalscorer urged an angry fan to support the team despite his disappointment.
As always, Arsene Wenger had a few complaints to make about the referee in his post-match press conference: “We lost under special circumstances. It was decided by some strange decisions. The first one is the referee who gave a penalty that was complete imagination. It was a good dive – well done to the player. I don’t understand where they found the penalty.” (Source: The Telegraph)
Aaron Ramsey did not appear to make any contact with Nathan Dyer, though he did stick a leg towards the Swansea player. Dyer tumbled to the ground at just the correct time to fool the referee. Sinclair converted the penatly try in the 17th minute to make the score 1-1.
Wenger also acknowledged the problems at the back: “There were some other turning points. When we came back to 2-2, straight away, a defensive mistake. It looked similar to me to Fulham. Lack of appreciation of the ball. Our defensive performance was not good enough and that’s why we lost the game.
“We made defensive mistakes that you should not make. In the last two games we made mistakes that, at that level, are difficult to explain.”
The match was very similar to our win at Stamford Bridge, in that neither side cared much about defending. Swansea’s back four, particularly Ashley Williams, were way out of position on numerous occasions, including Walcott’s goal. If only some of the more underachieving Gunners had played better, we could have easily scored three or more goals at the Liberty Stadium.
After seemingly emerging from their horrific start to the season, Arsenal have dipped back into woeful form. One point gained in three games against clubs lower in the table is not the kind of run that will lead us back into the top four. Manchester United are next week’s opponents against a depleted Arsenal side with the end of the transfer window fast approaching. Sounds familiar.
Swansea City have only lost one match at the Liberty Stadium this season, but Arsenal are desperate for three points after drawing against Fulham in their last Premier League game. Both managers have similarly trained their side to play attractive football, so the game on Sunday should be anything but boring!
Johan Djourou’s return from suspension will provide some stability to a paper-thin Arsenal back four. Arsene Wenger is without Carl Jenkinson, Bacary Sagna, Thomas Vermaelen, Kieran Gibbs, and Francis Coquelin. On Friday, Wenger said that Per Mertesacker and Tomas Rosicky were sick but could still make the trip to Wales.
Due to the African Cup of Nations, Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho have left the squad. The departure of Chamakh is good in two ways. One, Wenger will not have the urge to use the completely ineffective striker. And two, Marouane could regain his confidence if he netts a few for Morrocco. Gervinho’s loss will be felt because his likely replacement, Andrey Arshavin, has done little recently to justify his spot in the squad.
Arsene Wenger has stated in various interviews and press conferences that Thierry Henry can still play on the left wing, so perhaps he will be the one to fill Gervinho’s boots. In the prelude to Sunday’s match, Wenger provided an update on Henry’s fitness:
“He is not there yet but he is not far from the level he was at when he left here [in 2007]. He is fit enough to start a game but not fit enough to last or play the whole thing.” (Source: Arsenal.com)
Considering Henry’s age, it is remarkable that he is almost on par with the player he was five years ago (if you believe Arsene). Unlike other aging forwards, Henry does not appear to have added any belly fat. More players should follow in his lead because there is always time to hit the buffet tables after retirement.
Interestingly, Swansea City are one of the few clubs Henry has not scored against, though that is because he has never faced them. In fact, before this season, Arsene Wenger’s last encounter with Swansea City came in the 1991 Cup-Winners Cup, when his Monaco side won by a score of 8-0.
Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers has his side playing possession football, which has gained the admiration of Arsene Wenger. In fact, the love between the two managers appears to be mutual.
Regarding Swansea, Wenger said: “They [Swansea] have the quality to play in the Premier League because they play positive football. They keep possession and master possession in many games, and have the technical quality to be where they are. Over 38 games, that pays off.
“They play without fear everywhere. I think they are a team who look completely in place in the Premier League. It’s very nice and very good news for England to have a manager like Brendan Rodgers adopting that style.” (Source: The Guardian)
Rodgers praised the Gunners but stopped short of saying that he was trying to replicate Wenger’s grand experiment of introducing the beautiful game to Britian: “There is no doubt that Arsenal have been a great side. And there is no doubt their fans love watching them play.
“I enjoy watching Swansea. I think we are fantastic, some of the football we play, the statistics are up. We don’t try to be anyone else, we just try to improve our game.” (Source: BBC News)
Unlike some recent Arsenal teams, Swansea have been able to shut the door defensively, at least at home. In South Wales, they have only allowed four goals in ten games. Swansea have started 2012 wonderfully, with victories over Aston Villa and Barnsley in their two matches in January.
The similarities between the two clubs end with their ambitions. Swansea City are currently 13th in the table and are hoping just to avoid relegation this season. Arsenal are chasing a Champions League place and dreaming of glory in one of their two remaining cup competitions. Chelsea’s victory on Saturday takes them four points above us in fourth, and Manchester United visit the Emirates Stadium next week. With all due respect to the Swans, Arsenal should win on Sunday but, more importantly, they need to.
In light of some recent changes to Arsenal’s fixture list, Arsene Wenger has said that some clubs have an advantage due to their relationship with television companies, namely Sky and ESPN. He believes the the Premier League needs to be more involved in the scheduling of matches to promote fairness.
ESPN moved the Gunners’ FA Cup clash with Aston Villa to 29th of January, a Sunday. As a result, Arsenal’s mid-week trip to Bolton was changed from Tuesday to Wednesday. Arsene Wenger’s side then have to play on Saturday against Blackburn to complete a dizzying run of three games in seven days.
To make matters worse, all of the other top six clubs have been granted more rest during this period. Chelsea and Manchester United play on Tuesday and then Sunday. Liverpool and Tottenham also play on Tuesday night, but don’t play again until Monday night.
And Wenger does not think that his side’s unfavourable fixture pile-up was down to chance: “I believe the Premier League has to make sure there’s a bit more fairness in the schedules. [The fixtures] are sold to television and television is influenced by some clubs to choose the fixtures. And some clubs get advantaged by television, if it’s Sky or ESPN, because they have an influence there from the clubs directly.
“The Premier League should be very much bigger than they are in front of that. I do not want to go personally on any one club but, if things are repeated, then it’s not a coincidence any more. There’s a real problem there. The Premier League should master the fixtures. It can’t happen every year that some clubs have advantages compared in relation to the fairness of the competition. At the moment, television decides. You cannot have decisive games with one team playing Friday and Tuesday, and another on Sunday and Tuesday. I’ve been working for 30 years in football, and it is not right. It’s not fair.” (Source: The Guardian)
Wenger did not point out the specific clubs with unfair influence, but he did say:
“If the Premier League doesn’t decide, it is the television that decides. That means that television can influence and the Premier League has nothing to say. That’s what, basically, I think is not right. Because if, tomorrow, you buy a club and your best friend is the owner of Sky TV you don’t think you will tell him, ‘Look, you put us on Friday night. That’s not fair’? Or, ‘You put us on Sunday night, that’s not fair’. We have sold our soul and we do not control our games, our fixtures, any more.” (Source: The Guardian)
When Arsenal still had a shot at catching Manchester United for the title last season, the Red Devils were constantly allowed to play on Sunday, which was a day after the Gunners completed their match. Remember that Arsene complained then, so it is not surprising that he has brought the topic up again.
Many of Wenger’s critics will use these recent comments as further proof that he is a whinger. Perhaps so, but he does have a point. The Premier League should decide when matches are played, not Sky. Of course, Sky pay heaps of money for the rights to broadcast the league, and they must believe that their influence is paid for.
It is possible that the powers that be at television companies are simply helping their friends while inadvertently hurting our club. A full-fledged conspiracy is a bit hard to believe, but corruption and friendly backroom deals are not.
When the current television rights contract ends, maybe the Premier League will listen to Arsene Wenger’s advice when they negotiate the new deal. For now, Arsenal need to get through a tough stretch of tightly-bunched matches in order to keep pace with the other top clubs.
While many were calling Arsenal’s early season woes a “crisis,” the real crisis is occurring at the moment because of the shear amount of injured defenders. Arsene Wenger can either dip into the transfer market or hope that some of his players recover quickly.
At the moment, the injured players would form a better back four than the available players. Thomas Vermaelen, Francis Coquelin, Kieran Gibbs, Bacary Sagna, Andre Santos, and Carl Jenkinson will be out for the match against Swansea City on Sunday. Arsene Wenger will likely have to select his four defenders out of this uninspiring group: Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker, Sebastien Squillaci, Ignasi Miquel, and Nico Yennaris.
Maybe that crop of players will be able to make it through the tough test in Wales, but several important fixtures are on the horizon. In the weeks ahead, the Gunners will take on Manchester United, AC Milan, and Spurs. All three clubs must be licking their lips at the prospect of facing such a fragile backline.
There is some hope that Sagna, Vermaelen, and/or Gibbs could make their returns to the starting eleven as early as the United game next week. Both Gibbs and Sagna have missed an extended period of time, so it may not be the greatest idea to send them out for such a fast-paced affair.
Kieran Gibbs cannot be relied upon as the regular left-back until he is able to string together a run of matches without sustaining an injury. He has only made 23 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, partly due to sitting behind Clichy for a few years and partly due to injury. Arsene Wenger may have to think twice before trusting Gibbs to complete the rest of the season at left-back.
Wenger has said at recent press conferences that signing a full-back on loan is a likely scenario, though he has also been known hold his cards close to his chest when it comes to the transfer dealings of the club. If he believes that a few of the players are close to coming back, Arsene may not make any more signings in January.
Instead of praying that injury-prone players like Vermaelen and Gibbs stay healthy, Wenger could sign a defender on loan just as an insurance policy. Many names have been linked to us in the papers, including Aly Cissokho, Wayne Bridge, and Eric Abidal.
The problem is that, if all the defenders are miraculously fit, someone will be displaced. Imagine if Abidal was signed and then Gibbs and Santos recovered from their injuries! It is likely that one of the three (probably Santos) would never get a chance to play, which could cause problems in the dressing room.
Meanwhile, Wenger has had to cancel Ignasi Miquel’s loan move because of all of the hobbled full-backs. The 19-year old Spaniard told Arsenal Player: “Before the injuries, I had in my head to go on loan to the Championship but now with this I’ve not spoken to anyone.
“If they can sign someone or Kieran Gibbs comes back, we’ll see if I stay here or go on loan.” (Source: Sky Sports)
Miquel will likely start at left-back against Swansea, which outlines the very problem. In most years, he would go out on loan to a smaller club in order to gain experience. Now, he has to be thrown into the fire right away because of the lack of available defenders. Of course, this is mostly due to an extraordinary number of injuries and not a lack of depth.
The farther we get into January, the less likely it is that Arsene Wenger will bring in a reinforcement. As Wenger is not the biggest fan of the transfer market, it is possible that he may be done dealing in this window. The enormous trust he has in his players is amazing, but let’s just hope that it is well-placed trust.
Pure magic. With all the pressure mounted upon his shoulders, Thierry Henry scored the winner twelve minutes from the end of the match after coming on as a substitute in his second debut for Arsenal. No best-selling author could have written the story any better; it’s the stuff of legends.
Alex Song spotted Henry as he slipped in behind the Leeds’ backline, and the King provided a lesson in world-class finishing. The calm strike from a tight angle appeared easy, but the best always make the spectacular look simple. Curled into the far corner, the goal was certainly vintage Henry. Cool, calm, and collected.
The celebration showcased Henry’s endearing love to Arsenal, and also his passion for success. He ran towards the corner flag with his arms outstretched and his mouth open in delight, before running to hug Arsene Wenger. Then came the customary chest-thumping that we’ve come to know and love. I would like to see more of this kind of passionate celebration to help bring the fans into the game.
After the match, Henry made it a point to say that this goal was different from the other 226: “I am enjoying the club as a fan where I wasn’t before: now I know how people feel when they score for the club they support.” (Source: The Guardian)
Our all-time top goalscorer also took time during a post-match interview to dedicate the performance to Paul Johnson and his mother, who recently passed away. She worked in Henry’s box at Ashburton Grove, and Paul currently works for Arsenal Football Club. It was a nice gesture from a player who sometimes seems nasty on the pitch.
Before Henry’s special moment, the match was truly dull. Andrei Arshavin and Marouane Chamakh proved again to be an ineffective duo. While the little Russian at least created a few chances, Chamakh was completely off the pace. Both players are clearly trying hard to regain their top form, but, at the moment, it is nowhere close to good enough.
Arsene Wenger’s side dominated the match in terms of possession and total shots, but Leeds remained strong at the back. They didn’t pose a serious threat on Szczesny’s goal until late in the game, when Ross McCormack’s header went straight into the open arms of the Polish keeper. If the Leeds striker would have directed his shot towards either corner, Henry’s coming-home party may have ended in disappointment.
Another match, another injury to an Arsenal defender. This time, Francis Coquelin succumbed to an injury in the first half and Nico Yennaris had to replace him. After the match, Arsene Wenger revealed that Coquelin suffered a hamstring injury that will keep him out for a “few weeks.”
Aston Villa will visit the Emirates Stadium for the FA Cup Fourth Round. Last season, we were eliminated in the Fourth Round after falling to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Hopefully, the Gunners will take advantage of their relatively easy draw to advance further in what is our most winnable competition this year.
Thierry Henry secured Arsenal’s position in the next round of the cup after rescuing Arsene Wenger’s side from a replay at Elland Road. After downplaying expectations, he became a hero once more. Henry’s goal will be one of, if not the best, Arsenal moments of this season, and one of the great moments in the short history of Ashburton Grove. Henry said post-match:
“I hope I won’t wake up tomorrow and someone’s going to tell me that it was a dream.”
Gooners all across the globe shared Henry’s sentiment on Monday night.
Theirry Henry will make his second Arsenal debut on Monday night against Leeds in the FA Cup. Arsene Wenger referred to the Cup as a “bonus,” with the main goal being qualification for next season’s Champions League.
Although Henry is unlikely to log too many minutes in this game, Arsene Wenger promised that “he will be involved.” Much has been made about declining attendances at FA Cup matches recently, but there will surely be a festive atmosphere at Ashburton Grove to welcome the King back home.
Henry has downplayed expectations, though that has not stunted the excitement over his return. Even Leeds manager Simon Grayson has commented on the return of Henry: “I played against him a few times. I probably saw more of the No 14 on his back than the front of him.” (Source: Daily Mail)
Theo Walcott now wears the number “14,” so Arsenal’s all-time top goalscorer will use the “12″ shirt, which is his old number for France. If he did not, Walcott should have offered Thierry back his legendary number. I suspect that Henry would insist that Theo keep his shirt because the Frenchman has stressed that he does not want to upset the dynamics of the current squad.
When asked about their aspirations for a competition, most managers will say that their side will do their very best and try to win. Arsene Wenger, never one to be politically correct, said about the FA Cup:
“It is very important for us to win against Leeds on Monday night, but the basis of our life at the top level is dictated by the championship.
“If we can add on top of that the FA Cup, it is fantastic. However, our life, at the level where we are, with the wages we have, and the aspirations we have, is to play in the Champions League. After that you want, of course, to win all the other trophies.
“The FA Cup is something that is for enjoyment. It is a bonus that we want. But for us, Champions League is something which is needed and compulsory.” (Source: ESPN)
Wenger’s comments may rub some supporters the wrong way, but he is just being brutally honest. The Champions League brings in far more money for the club, helps attract new players, and helps keep current players (namely, Robin van Persie). While Wenger still has the hunger for trophies, he understands the value of participating in Europe’s top club competition.
With that said, we do not need to sacrifice the FA Cup for a better position in the Premier League. It does not work that way. Just because we are no longer in a cup competition doesn’t mean that our league form will improve. In fact, it can work the opposite way. After losing to Birmingham City in the Carling Cup final last season, we were eliminated from the Champions League and FA Cup, and our form in the league from that point on was dismal.
Last season, we were slightly lucky to beat Leeds in the Third Round. Only a last-minute penalty scored by Cesc Fabregas saved us from a humiliating 1-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium. In the replay, we won 3-1 at Elland Road with goals from Nasri, Sagna, and van Persie. None of those three players are expected to be involved on Monday night.
Simon Grayson’s side are only a point off the Play-Offs in 8th. Their last match was a 2-1 victory over Burnley, but before that they had lost three consecutive games. Leeds’ top scorer is Ross McCormack with 11 goals in the Champonship. Robert Snodgrass impressed against the Gunners last season and has drawn interest from Premier League clubs. He has 8 goals and 9 assists in the league this season
Arsene Wenger will likely start a weakened team because he wants to rest his starters after the busy Christmas period. Avoiding a replay will also be important to Wenger. It will be a balancing act, as it always is for a manager.
If nothing else, Monday night’s match is the perfect time to welcome Thierry Henry back to Arsenal, away from the high-paced action of the Premier League. Far from a regular FA Cup Third Round game, the match at Emirates Stadium serves as a showcase for Henry, but Leeds will be hoping to spoil the party.
