The Clock End

Swansea City 3-2 Arsenal: Complacent Gunners fall to Swans

jtom — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:30:45 +0000

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.

Match Preview: Swansea City v Arsenal

jtom — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 08:15:36 +0000

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.

Match: Swansea City v Arsenal

Location: Liberty Stadium

Kickoff: 16:00 GMT, 11:00am EST

Television: Sky Sports 1 (UK), Fox Soccer (USA)

Arsene Wenger blames TV for “unfair” fixtures

jtom — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 08:15:11 +0000

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.

How will Arsene Wenger handle Arsenal’s injury crisis?

jtom — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:30:55 +0000

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.

Arsenal 1-0 Leeds United: Henry’s dream return (VIDEO)

jtom — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 07:33:30 +0000

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.

Match Preview: Arsenal v Leeds United

jtom — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:30:28 +0000

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.

Match: Arsenal v Leeds United

Location: Emirates Stadium

Kickoff: 19:45 GMT, 2:45pm EST

Television: ESPN (UK), Fox Soccer (USA)

Thierry Henry warns about high expectations

jtom — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 08:00:29 +0000

He's back.

Theirry Henry’s two-month loan deal to Arsenal was finalised on Friday, just in time to register him for upcoming match against Leeds. The King has returned home, but Henry is warning supporters that he may not not even make the bench.

Judging by the amount of articles, pictures, and videos Arsenal have published on their official website regarding Henry in the last two days, one would think that we have just signed Messi to a long-term contract. Even though he will only be with the club until the end of Feburary at the latest, the hype around Theirry’s comeback has grown exponentially.

On Friday, Henry said: “It looks more like I’m going to be a bench player. Or maybe not on the bench but more of an ‘out of the side’ type of player. I hope people are not going to compare what I did here before.” (Source: Arsenal.com)

I think our all-time top goalscorer is seriously overestimating the quality, or lack thereof, of our bench. If a player has a contract, a shirt number, and is over the age of 15, he’ll probably be selected by Arsene Wenger. Possibly, Henry was just having a laugh, though he didn’t look playful when he said it.

Most Gooners are only expecting Henry to improve on what Marouane Chamakh has done this season, which is not much to ask. In fact, unless Henry scores several own goals, he will better the Chamakh’s feeble performances.

While he clearly wants to help out, Thierry Henry made it clear that he is not coming back to be a “hero.” From what I understand, he no longer has a massive ego, so hopefully there will be no scowling at the younger players. Playing in the MLS will certainly humble a player, as will age.

Arsene Wenger said at his pre-Leeds press conference that Henry “will be involved” for the FA Cup tie on Monday night at the Emirates Stadium, though not for the full 90 minutes. Both Wenger and Henry said that some conditioning will be needed to regain top fitness.

Of course, Henry expressed plenty of emotion during his first interview: “Arsenal and me has always been a love story, with some bad days. Hopefully people agree with me that there were more good days than bad, but I just love the Club.

“For me being able to come here and train, being in the dressing room and seeing all the training staff, I have no words to describe it. To wear the jersey one more time, I can only be honoured. People might think I am just saying that, but when I left this Club I cried and I cried for the statue. I haven’t cried a lot in my career, but when I do it seems that something is happening with Arsenal.

“In my time here I always tried to be honest, and I think the fans can see that. When I am happy, I am happy and when I am not they can see it too. They say love is blind, but it is difficult for me to say no to Arsenal.” (Source: Arsenal.com)

I think I almost developed a tear in my eye.

Arsenal open contract talks with Theo Walcott

jtom — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:30:16 +0000

The Gunners have begun negotiating a contract extension with Theo Walcott. Despite several stellar performances, he still lacks the consistency of a top-quality footballer.

According to The Telegraph, Arsenal have discussed a new deal with Walcott’s representatives, though no formal offers have been proposed yet. Theo’s current contract runs out at the end of next season, which happens to be the same time that Robin van Persie’s deal ends. Arsenal are keen to sign both players to new contracts. A repeat of last summer, when both Cesc and Nasri left the club, could prove catastrophic.

While Walcott has consistently been a part of Arsene Wenger’s starting eleven, his performances have been anything but similar. For example, against Chelsea, Theo was terrific. His goal was probably the best of the five we scored at Stamford Bridge. At other times, he has looked lost on the pitch like the game against Fulham.

The reason Theo Walcott has struggled to perform consistently is because of Arsene Wenger’s system. It is known that Wenger does little teaching. He prepares the players physically and mentally for the task ahead while also building chemistry and timing on the pitch. This system works wonders for intelligent players like Robin van Persie or Jack Wilshere, but it is not ideal for players who need specific guidance, like Walcott or Johan Djourou.

On one hand, the blame can be pointed at Wenger for his reluctance to adapt to the different needs of the players. On the other hand, Walcott also needs to be held responsibility for his sometimes clueless behaviour. Over time, many players evolve into the manager’s system, like Alex Song. Walcott is still relatively young, but his development has been somewhat disappointing compared to his expectations.

Pace is extremely important in the modern game, but opponents can easily deal with players who offer very little besides pace. Theo does not have many moves to go around full-backs. While he does feed van Persie with low crosses from time to time, generally his crosses are terrible. Walcott is also far from a lethal finisher.

It is important that Walcott is retained because our current squad is too weak to lose a player who is brilliant at times. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could pressure Theo’s place in the years, and possibly months, to come although Arsene Wenger has been cautious in using the young Ox. Chamberlain has primarily been deployed on the wing since his move from Southampton, but Wenger said that he envisions him more as a central midfielder.

If Arsene believes that Oxlade-Chamberlain will soon replace Walcott in the side, then Arsenal may not meet Walcott’s wage demands. Of course, it is vital to have both in the squad due to our lack of depth. But Theo may not be happy if, in the future, he is forced to sit on the bench in favour of the Ox.

It is up to Walcott to improve his final ball and overall positional awareness. He currently starts for England and Arsenal, but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain overtake him on both fronts in the near future. If Theo continues to be plagued by inconsistency, he will never be a true top-class player.

Fulham 2-1 Arsenal: 10-man Gunners collapse

jtom — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 07:30:39 +0000

On the second day of the New Year, Arsenal were haunted by the same occurrences the plagued them in the previous year. Fulham, who were helped immensely by referee Lee Probert, scored two late goals to stun the Gunners.

The real turning point in the game occurred when Probert decided to award a second yellow card to Johan Djourou. His first booking was probably justified, but the second was far from a foul. Bobby Zamora tumbled to the ground after realising that Szczesny would beat him to the ball, and out came the red card. Oddly, there were no other cards shown all night by Probert.

After we went down to ten men, Fulham started hunting down the equaliser. Ironically, it was Zamora who snatched the points away from Arsene Wenger’s side. The first goal was a result of our typical inability to defend set pieces. Fulham’s winner was an excellent volley by Zamora, though Szczesny maybe should have reacted quicker to the near-post finish. To his credit, Zamora did execute a van Persie-like strike.

Arsene Wenger was fuming at his post-match press conference about various decisions made by the referee:

“The referee influenced the game completely the wrong way in my opinion. We cannot influence that. We had a good first half … in the second half we were more tired and in the last 10 minutes we lost the game because we were down to 10 men. The first yellow card was not a yellow card; the second yellow card was a foul for us. It was also 100% a penalty for us in the first half.

“When Djourou got the first yellow, every time they went down to get him the second yellow. He did nothing at all. I saw it coming because when Frei came on the game was all [about] looking for the second yellow card for Djourou. The referee was naive enough to give it. We played many games recently and we knew that if we dropped our level we would be in trouble. But we would not have been in trouble if we had stayed with 11 on the pitch.” (Source: The Guardian)

Regarding the penalty incident in the first half, Senderos made minimal contact with Gervinho, although he made no contact with the ball. Had it been given, it would have been a soft penalty. That said, referees have simply refused to award penalties to us in recent weeks.

Many writers are now wrongly bashing Arsenal’s defending for the loss at Craven Cottage. Before the red card, the back four were very strong. Laurent Koscielny scored and was terrific at the back. Despite playing out of position, Francis Coquelin was fantastic at left-back. All of the trouble began when Djourou was sent off.

In reality, we should have killed this game in the first half. So many opportunities were wasted early on and we could have easily been up by three at the break. Unfortunately, Walcott was again under-performing, and Gervinho finds it very hard to put the ball in the net. The Ivorian winger can become one of the best wingers in the Premiership if he can only improve his finishing.

Chelsea have jumped back into the top four while we fall on the outskirts once again. My feeling is that the race for the Champions League spots will not finish until near the very end of the season.

Arsenal supporters found out that U2′s famous lyrics are correct: “Nothing changes on New Year’s Day.” Just as our club were seemingly moving on from our terrible 2011, the players and the problems with the team are still the same. Still, there is no reason to overreact to this result because it is very difficult to get a result away from home when your side is down a man.

Match Preview: Fulham v Arsenal

jtom — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 07:02:55 +0000

With the other top clubs seemingly struggling, Arsenal will look to make up more ground on Tuesday at Craven Cottage. Fulham earned a point at the Emirates Stadium earlier in the season.

Arsene Wenger will be without Thomas Vermaelen, who suffered a calf injury against QPR. The options at the back are so very few. I’d expect to see Ignasi Miquel or Francis Coquelin at left-back, with Sebastien Squillaci and Per Mertesacker in the middle, and Laurent Koscielny on the right.

The loan move bringing Thierry Henry back to North London has yet to be finalised, so he will not be available for Fulham.

Robin van Persie could very well start on the bench because there are no longer any records to break, though Wenger may decide to play the Dutchman on Monday and rest him against Leeds next week. So far, van Persie has started every match during this holiday period.

Arsenal have sent Emmanuel Frimpong on loan to Wolves for six months. He could make his debut for his new club as early as Monday when Wolverhampton take on Chelsea. Frimpong is glad that he will be able to play more competitive football:

”It’s an opportunity for me to get more games. I’m just coming here to add more quality to the team, hopefully, and I can’t wait to get started.” (Source: Wolves’ Official Website)

After beating QPR on Saturday, we have another London derby on Monday, albeit not always a very heated one. Fulham are currently 14th in the table and come into this match after two consecutive draws to Norwich and Chelsea, respectively. In their last home game, Fulham were destroyed 5-0 by Manchester United.

The Cottagers frustrated the Gunners by holding them to a 1-1 draw at Ashburton Grove in November. Martin Jol’s side packed men behind the ball in that match, and I assume they will do the same on Monday.

Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele are Fulham’s dangerous attacking duo. Bobby Zamora has apparently been dropped due to his poor relationship with Martin Jol, though he has also picked up an injury. Andy Johnson, Mark Schwarzer, Damien Duff, Simon Davies, and Zdenek Grygera are also projected to miss this match.

Regarding Fulham, Arsene Wenger said in the lead-up to Monday’s game: “It is always difficult for us against Fulham though. They are a good side, well-organised and have a good technical level especially Dickson Etuhu and Danny Murphy who did well on the day.

“It will be tough again this time. You can see that everyone finds motivation against Arsenal, everyone organises well and stops us from playing. That will happen again at Fulham.

“But, after the three points against QPR, we will be very focused to get the win there.”

It is important to get a victory to start the New Year. Even though nothing actually changes on New Years’ Day, it is symbolic because all Gooners want 2012 to be a better year for the club than the mostly terrible twelve months that preceded it. All of that starts against Fulham on the second day of the year.

Match: Fulham v Arsenal

Location: Craven Cottage

Kickoff: 17:30 GMT, 12:30pm EST

Television: Sky Sports 1 (UK), Fox Soccer (USA)