Kyle Walker’s long strike sealed the victory for Tottenham in the North London Derby. Arsenal’s woes are multiplying as Bacary Sagna’s injury will see him miss three months. Spurs coach Clive Allen was angry at Arsene Wenger after a post-match confrontation.
Rafael Van der Vaart opened the scoring for Spurs in the 40th minute. He received a lofted pass from Adebayor and volleyed the ball inside the far post. It appeared that Van der Vaart handled the ball when he brought down the pass, but nothing was given. He was already on a yellow card. Wenger commented on the goal in his post-match press conference (from Arsenal.com):
“It is frustrating as well because their first goal was handball. I wonder what the linesmen do in these situations. It is a second yellow card as well because he already had one – for handball, on purpose.”
Some fuss has been made about Van der Vaart’s celebration with the supporters after the goal. Technically, that should have resulted in a second yellow. Personally, I do not think that players should be booked for celebrating with fans. Arsene Wenger agrees with me (from Arsenal.com):
“I am not a fan of that. I can understand that when a player scores there has to be some spontaneous reaction to a goal.”
Aaron Ramsey scored the equaliser for Arsenal in the 51st minute. Alex Song made a run down the wing from his centre-back position to cross the ball to Ramsey, and the Welshman blasted it home from close-range. Besides his goal, Ramsey was terrible. Judging by his many give-aways, he might as well have pulled a lilywhite shirt over his head and made his intentions known.
Kyle Walker stuck the dagger into Arsenal in the 73rd minute. The right back sent a low, hard, curling effort towards the far post, and it beat Szczesny. I almost knew it was going to find the back of the net right from the second it left Walker’s foot. It was a good, long strike, but our keeper should have made the save.
Despite the loss, there were some positives. Francis Coquelin, who started in centre midfield, was excellent, especially in the first half. Per Mertesacker is finding his Premier League legs. Szczesny, apart from the second goal, was brilliant in net.
One worrying thing was the lack of effort shown when Walker scored his goal. Spurs had more chances after Walker scored than Arsenal. The passing was careless and they ran right through our players. Scott Parker was a tireless bull in the midfield. He could have been an Arsenal player…
Bacary Sagna suffered a painful injury in the 66th minute. He was screaming in agony after a tackle by Assou-Ekotto along the touchline. Arsenal.com announced on Sunday night that Sagna will miss about “three months” with a fractured fibula in his right leg.
Sagna’s loss is a huge blow to our back four. He was our most reliable and experienced Premier League defender. Wenger will now have a choice of Andre Santos and Carl Jenkinson at right back. Santos is a natural left-sided player, and Jenkinson has little top-flight experience.
Tottenham coach Clive Allen is furious at Arsene Wenger for “refusing” to shake his hand. Wenger shook hands with Redknapp and coach Kevin Bond, but apparently missed Allen. Allen had to be held away from Wenger by police officers. He said after the incident (from The Telegraph): “He refused to shake my hand. He says he didn’t see or hear me. But he’s two-bob, he is.” Grow up Allen!
Wenger also spoke about the incident (from The Telegraph): “I shook the hand of the manager and the assistant manager. How many people do I have to shake hands with? Is there a prescription?” Wenger also agreed that Allen wanted to make himself the story.
As upset as I was at the end of the match, it is not a time for Gooners to panic. Yes, we are 15th in the table, but it is the begginning of October. This season was always destined to be a transitioning year after Cesc and Na$ri left. One finish outside the top four is not the end of the world.
Arsene Wenger has already admitted that the Gunners cannot win the league this season (from Arsenal.com): “I do not think like that, I think at the moment we have to set ourselves a realistic target and to get in touch with the teams who are fighting for the Champions League positions. If you say today we will win the league it is not realistic.
“At the moment we are 12 points behind Manchester United and Manchester City – that’s not realistic to say today that we will win the league. We have to fight to come back into a much better position, that’s reality.”
We are forced to lower our expectations for this season, but Gooners still expect Arsenal to challenge for the league in the years to come. As for Spurs, we will get them in the return leg at the Emirates!
Derby day is upon us again as the Gunners travel to White Hart Lane. Spurs are the favourites heading into the match, but Arsene Wenger’s squad have won their last three games. Emmaneul Adebayor will most likely (definitely) play an important part in the match on Sunday.
Injury News: Laurent Koscielnly is very doubtful to play, while Theo Walcott and Gervinho will have fitness tests on Saturday or Sunday to determine their fate. Arsene Wenger said that Sebastien Squillaci is healthy but not match fit. Another phantom injury to keep a mediocre player out of a match.
Speaking of phantom injuries, there is absolutely no chance that Manuel Almunia will make an appearance at White Hart Lane. Almunia has seemingly been collecting his cash this season and doing little else. The Spanish keeper has been sent to West Ham on loan for one month. Gooners around the world are dancing in the streets.
Our old friend Emmanuel Adebayor has a new kit. This season the emotional striker will be playing in the despicable all-white shirt. Every Arsenal supporter remembers when Adebayor ran the length of the pitch after scoring for Manchester City.
Adebayor has issued an apology to Arsenal fans for that celebration, but he will not hesitate to score (from ESPN): “What happened two years ago was an accident and I do apologise to all the fans of Arsenal. Sometime the emotions, we cannot control them, we are all human beings. I regret what I have done and I say sorry to everyone but at the end of the day sorry doesn’t change anything. For me it’s over.
“I’m looking forward to playing against Arsenal again on Sunday but believe me, if I have a chance to score, trust me I will score but as for the celebration, never in my life will I do something like that again.”
It was not an accident. A mistake, yes, but not an accident. Sprinting the full length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the away Gooners is not an accident. Arsenal fans have not forgiven Adebayor, and the away fans will certainly give him hell on Sunday. Frimpong will be gunning for him too.
Arsene Wenger said that the focus should be on the match and not Adebayor (from Arsenal.com): “That [abusive chants] is what you don’t want. You want people to support the team in a positive way, all the hate [is unacceptable].
“A football game is a fantastic day that everyone has to enjoy and with a positive atmosphere it is even more fantastic. So let’s get our fans to get behind our team and forget about the rest.
“If the game is great the attention will be on the game.”
Arsenal are entering the match with the confidence of three consecutive victories. The Gunners beat Shewsbury Town in the Carling Cup before smashing Bolton. On Wednesday night, Arsenal beat Olympiacos 3-1 in the Champions League. Remember when Tottenham played that one season in the Champions League?
Spurs are coming off two wins. They slipped past Wigan last week and beat Shamrock Rovers on Thursday night in the Europa League.
Some pundits are suggesting that Tottenham have past Arsenal in the Premier League power structure. Arsene Wenger said that it is simply not the case (from Arsenal.com): “At the moment we have been in the Champions League for 14 years and that is all we can say.
“Tottenham is a good side, I agree, and we have to try to be better and that is what we try to do. I believe the consistency has been on our side, but Tottenham has a huge potential. They played Shamrock Rovers on Thursday night and were sold out, so that is a massive potential.
“But we are at the end of September and the season finishes in May. Don’t come to quick conclusions about teams – there is a long way to go.”
I love how Wenger took the time to mention “Thursday night” and “Shamrock Rovers.” Meanwhile, his team has been Champions League regulars. But the pundits and writers will continue to praise their best friend Harry Redknapp.
Despite all my tough talk, it is difficult not to be nervous about this game. Our defensive frailities are still evident, but Per Mertesacker has been learning quickly. Alex Song, who played well at centre-back on Wednesday, may get another start at the back because of injuries.
As we have witnessed the last few seasons, anything can happen in a North London derby. My prediction: Plenty of goals and drama.
The morning papers are linking Robin van Persie with a move to Manchester City to replace Carlos Tevez. Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke broke his silence and talked about a wide range of issues, including Arsene Wenger, Samir Nasri, and Cesc Fabregas.
Mancini and company know they have to sell Tevez for the reduced price of £20 million or less. If RVP refuses to sign a new contract, he has to go. Maybe Arsene Wenger will be able to work a swap for Tevez. Carlos Tevez and cash to Arsenal and Manchester City get RVP.
The rumours around the Dutchman will only multiply as we head towards January. It is ridiculous because Robin’s contract does not run out until the end of next season. The Gunners will have more leverage because they can chose to keep Van Persie until the summer. But Arsenal, seeing the extraordinary fees paid for Torres and Carroll last winter, may be wise to sell in January.
Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kronke is no longer “Silent Stan.” The American told The Telegraph (from The Guardian): “I have tremendous confidence in [Arsene]. He is one of the great managers in the world. Arsene is one of my favourite people I have met in the last 20 years. He is a great person and I love the way he handles himself. He is a very intelligent guy.
“It’s a rocky start but what do people really expect? Cesc Fabregas[who signed for Barcelona in the summer] is a great player who Arsene developed from the age of 16. He decided last year that he wanted to leave.
“Maybe it is one of those times when we have to work our way through, maybe with some young players. Arsene has been really good at developing these guys, people like Alex [Oxlade-]Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere. There are some really good players that Arsene thinks can be special. Arsene’s our man.
“I like the kid [Fabregas] but I’m not going to change his mind. Arsene made the decision.
“I also get it on [Samir] Nasri [who joined Manchester City]. If we didn’t do something on Nasri people would be looking at us next summer and saying, ‘Why didn’t you do this?’ We bought in a lot of resources that we can use on other players.”
Not-S0-Silent Stan is clearly much more involved with the club than many people think. First off, he seems to be in love with Wenger. The Wenger-out crowd will be very displeased.
To answer Kroenke’s question, people expect Arsenal to win trophies. To his credit, Kroenke was right on point about the Cesc and Na$ri situations. We could not let Na$ri leave for free, and Cesc clearly wanted to go back home. The American owner clearly has been paying attention to the club despite the fact that he owns many teams in the USA. The mention of The Ox really shows that he knows what is going on with the team.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Andre Santos scored for Arsenal as the Gunners defeated Olympiacos 2-1. The Greek champions did threaten Arsenal, but the Gunners were able to pull through in the end.
“The Ox” scored eight minutes into his Champions League debut. The 18-year old midfielder gathered a wonderful pass from Alex Song and finished in the bottom corner. Chamberlain did well to work his way into space before firing the expert shot.
Andre Santos scored his first Arsenal goal in the 20th minute. The Brazilian left back drove down the flank and his cross was blocked. The ball bounced right back to Santos, and he maneuvered around the defender before sticking it inside the near post. The Olympiacos keeper really should have made the stop, but Santos did a good job of threading the ball into the net.
Arsenal did not waste time in giving away the momentum. A David Fuster header put Olympiacos right back into the match in the 27th minute. Fuster was completely unmarked when he scored. It was yet another example of Arsenal’s terrible marking on set pieces.
Pat Rice was the manager on Wednesday night as Wenger served out his touchline ban. After the match, Rice reacted to the goal the Gunners conceded (from Arsenal.com): “It was soft, yes. From a defender’s point of view it was really poor.”
Many were questioning the Arsenal team selection before the game even started. Robin van Persie, Aaron Ramsey, and Kieran Gibbs all began the match on the bench. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain earned the surprise start after his performance against Shrewsbury Town.
Vasilis Torosidis gave Arsenal supporters quite a scare when his long-range effort hit off the top of the bar in the 64th minute. Torosidis launced a curler towards the far corner and Szczesny had no chance. Luckily, the shot was stopped by the woodwork.
The Gunners did have their chances in the second half. Chamberlain was put through by a brilliant pass from Marouane Chamakh, but The Ox was unable to lift the chip shot over the keeper. In the 69th minute, an Aaron Ramsey interception led to a break for Andre Arshavin. The little Russian did well to get past a defender, but his shot was saved.
Arsene Wenger was seen celebrating in the stands after the final whistle. No other English club won their Champions League match this week. Manchester United collapsed against FC Basel. Chelsea suffered a draw after giving up a late penalty to Valencia. Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy and company were dominated by Bayern Munich on Tuesday. It was a sweet week for Arsene Wenger and his players.
Arsenal certianly fought their way to victory. Olympiacos were not the easy opponent the pundits claimed they would be. Pat Rice talked after the match about the will his team displayed (from Arsenal.com):
“I think in the first 20-25 minutes we were really in it well. After that for about 15-20 minutes we maybe lost our way and they came back into it. Second half we had to knuckle down, fight and get our shape right which I thought we did better in the second half.”
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is making a strong case to move above Theo Walcott in the starting eleven. The Ox said after the match that he hopes to play at White Hart Lane on Sunday (from The Sun): “I’m definitely hoping to play Spurs this weekend. If I’m not aspiring to be in the squad then there is something wrong.”
It is nice to see a young boy like Chamberlain with confidence and ambition. Arsene Wenger would be wise to pick The Ox to face Spurs. Theo Walcott missed the match on Wednesday due to an injury, and there is no need to rush him back. Chamberlain is doing a fine job.
Did Arsenal look weak at the back? Yes, but several players performed very well. Mikel Arteta made a splendid goal-line clearance in the 14th minute to preserve Arsenal’s slim lead. Per Mertesacker stepped up to make several key tackles, and he looked solid the entire night.
Arsene Wenger and his squad must now turn their attention to Spurs.
Arsenal will play Greek champions Olympiacos on Wednesday night at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners will be expected to beat Olympiacos, but Arsene Wenger knows it will not be easy. Mikel Arteta is anxious to make his Champions League debut in front of the Arsenal supporters.
Injury News: Theo Walcott, Gervinho, and Laurent Koscielny will miss the match due to injury. Wenger said that all three “have a chance” to recover in time to play Spurs on Sunday. Regarding Theo, Wenger said that he has “more than a 50-50 chance” of playing at White Hart Lane.
Mikel Arteta against Dortmund
Arsene’s mood at the pre-match press conference was much more pleasant than we have been seeing. He looked very positive and even snapped off a few jokes along the way. When a reporter asked Mikel Arteta if Wenger was a different manager than his reputation around football, Wenger said, “Don’t talk too much Mikel.”
Looking at the group (Marseille, Dortmund, Olympiacos), this match at the Emirates is the easiest fixture on paper. But Arsene Wenger said he is not taking this game lightly (from Arsenal.com): “For me, it is difficult to beat anybody. We have a lot of respect for Olympiacos. I have seen their game against Marseille and they played well.
“You never win easy in the Champions League – when you give absolutely everything, you have a chance to win. If we have not learned that from 14 consecutive years in the Champions League, then we are really stupid. If you do not prepare properly, then you have no chance.”
For Arsenal, it has been difficult to beat any team this season. Our most convincing win this season was the 3-0 at home against struggling Bolton, and two of the goals came after the Wanderers went down to ten men. But a victory is three points, and results are all Arsenal need right now.
“Playing Champions League football is one of my biggest challenges. It is hard to explain what it is about the Champions League, the atmosphere is different and you are playing against the best teams in Europe every time. All players want to win the Champions League, and I am no different.
“Everybody says the atmosphere at the Emirates is really nice for the games in the Champions League. Hopefully it is going to be like that on Wednesday, and we can give something good for the fans to support us.”
The atmosphere was electric at the Emirates during the Barcelona victory last season. While Olympiacos are not the most prestigious opposition, I fully expect the Gooners to get behind the team from the beginning.
Why I am not talking in depth about Olympiacos? To be honest, I do not know much about the Greek side. I do know that they have only played two league matches so far this season. Manager Ernesto Valverde said that Olympiacos will not change their tactics at the Emirates (from Arsenal.com):
“Every time we have clubs playing against each other the one that will win is the one which imposes its own style of play and who will do it better. Usually the team that has to change its style for the other is the one that will lose.
“We have to face an opponent who is probably one of the toughest we could find ourselves against. They are a great team, we know that we are the underdogs but we are here to give a good impression and why not take something out of this game.”
Many Gooners are already looking ahead to the North London derby at the weekend, but we should not take this game as a guaranteed victory. We know that this Arsenal squad are vulnerable to surprising results. Olympiacos beat Arsenal 1-0 in Greece a couple of seasons ago. Arsene Wenger, who will watch from the stands, and his players, who will presumably be on the pitch, had better be wary against Olympiacos.
Wilshere posted this picture on his Twitter account after the surgery.
Jack Wilshere is set to miss “four or five months” after undergoing ankle surgery. He sent out a message to Gooners after the surgery.
The 19-year old midfielder’s recovery will take “four or five months” according to Arsenal.com. His ankle surgery on Monday was successful. Wilshere wanted to notify his fans of his status (from Arsenal.com):
“I’ve had my operation this morning and all went well. My ankle is little bit sore, but I’m already looking forward to working hard to get fit and playing again.
“I would also just like to say thanks for the many messages of support I have received from you – the fantastic Arsenal supporters. See you all soon at the Emirates.”
I am starting to wonder whether we will see Jack on the pitch this season. At first, his injury was deemed fairly minor. A month or two seems to be added to his recovery time daily, and Arsene Wenger will not want to see Wilshere’s career tarnished by injuries. Maybe Wenger and the medical staff give Wilshere a year off and start fresh next season.
Most are predicting that Jack will return in late Feburary or early April. It is possible that he could provide a boost for the next North London derby on 25 February. Wenger and his squad will face Spurs at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
In other injury news, Theo Walcott will not feature on Wednesday night against Greek champions Olympiacos. According to The Guardian, the swelling in Theo’s knee is too much for him to play. Walcott hopes to return to the side to face Tottenham, but I would not place a bet on that.
The Arsenal medical team needs to be questioned. Our injuries seem to drag on longer than other clubs. We were told in the pre-season that Wilshere would be back by now. Thomas Vermaelen’s return date continued to be pushed farther and father back last season. I doubt that Theo’s “minor” injury will stay “minor.”
Robin van Persie said he does not want to negotiate a new contract with Arsenal at this time. Arsene Wenger compared the Dutchman to Lionel Messi and said that he does not think that Van Persie will leave the Emirates.
The Dutchman’s contract at Arsenal runs until the end of next season, and the rumours are starting already.
Van Persie said (from The Guardian): “I still have almost two years left, so for the moment that’s fine. I’m happy with my contract. I can’t look into the future. I can’t see us talking now because we are so busy. Maybe we will leave it until the end of next season”
Manchester City are rumoured to be interested in RvP, but Arsene Wenger said he does not expect the Dutch striker to go (from The Guardian): “It’s true that we had a meeting during the summer. It is understandable that he would want that when you lose players such as Fabregas and Nasri. I don’t think we will lose him.”
Wenger also said that no one would be leaving Arsenal shortly before Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas did just that. City are clearly trying to weaken our squad while strengthening their team. Reports say that Manchester City would have to pay £ 30 million for Van Persie. That is a low value considering the price paid for flops like Fernando Torres (£50m) and Andy Carroll (£35m).
People will point to his injury-riddled past, but I would rather have Van Persie for half a season than Andy Carroll for the full season. As for Fernando Torres, he is starting to score but his mistakes are glaring. When healthy, the Dutchman is a more consistent player than either of the high-priced stars.
Arsene Wenger praised Van Persie after his 100th goal for Arsenal (from Goal.com): “I see similarities positional-wise with Messi. He comes deep, he likes to turn up front as well.
“Like Messi he doesn’t play like a real centre forward but when you look at his movement around the box he is very intelligent and goes on diagonal runs. I always thought his first touch was so good that he can make a difference even in a tight space.”
Simply put, Messi is at a higher level than Van Persie. The Dutchman is a really good player, but he is not one of the best players in the world. Messi has so many elements to his game, and it helps that he plays alongside Xavi, Iniesta, and now Cesc. Van Persie may think he can reach that high level if he leaves the Emirates.
In other news, Theo Walcott only has a “minor” injury. He fell to the ground in pain at the end of the 3-0 victory against Bolton on Saturday. It was a strange moment because no Bolton player was anywhere near Theo. According to The Guardian, Walcott is expected to play against Olympiacos on Wednesday night and, more importantly, against Spurs on Sunday.
Robin van Persie scored two goals against Bolton, including his 100th for Arsenal. The Gunners came out firing in the second half, and dominated the match after Bolton centre-back David Wheater was shown a straight red card.
Arsenal were tentative in the first half, but the Dutchman hit the net less that a minute into the second period. Van Persie took the pass from Aaron Ramsey and blasted the shot near-post. Jaaskelanien was caught standing straight up, and the low, powerful strike was too much for the keeper.
Arsene Wenger needed his team to score another goal against the 10-man Wanderers to close the match out. Van Persie completed his century of Gunner goals in the 71st minute. Theo Walcott broke free down the wing and sent a low cross towards the Dutchman. RvP finished it off with a tap from the outside of his foot.
Surprisingly, it was Alex Song who scored Arsenal’s third. He curled the ball into the upper corner in the 89th minute. Song’s strike was the best goal of the day, but it will be Robin who takes the praise for the win.
David Wheater was sent off with a straight red in the 55th minute. Aaron Ramsey played a perfect through ball to Theo Walcott. Theo had too much pace for Wheater, and the Bolton center-half pulled him to the ground. It was a clear break, so Wheater had to go.
Walcott was terrific. He burned the Wanderers’ back four throughout the match, but especially after Bolton went down to ten men. Unfortunately, Theo fell to the ground in pain in the 90th minute. No one was around him, so it looks like it could be a muscle tear. After the match, Wenger gave an update on the injury (from Arsenal.com):
“I don’t really know [what is wrong]. I thought it was a classic hamstring but it is not. He felt a sharp pain in his knee and at the moment he is with the doctor. I don’t know what the diagnosis will be but it is completely surprising. There was no one near him. I don’t know what they will do, whether they will have a scan tonight, I will have to speak to the medical people.”
The Wanderers created their best chance of the match only two minutes into the game. Darren Pratley stabbed the ball towards the Arsenal goal, and Szczesny made a brilliant save. If it would have gone in, I doubt that the Gunners would have been able to recover.
Bolton were blocking shots right and left in the first half. Arsenal couldn’t seem to find an opening. Whenever a chance did seem to arise, the Wanderers were diving to get in the away of the shot. The Bolton defensive display in the first half should provide a lesson to the Arsenal defenders.
Wenger reflected on the first half after the match (from Arsenal.com): “I felt that in the first half we were a bit impatient sometimes, that we didn’t move the ball quickly enough, that our midfielders came a bit deep because we were man-marked. That exposed us a bit to counter-attacking and we had less support up front.”
Kieran Gibbs preserved the lead when Bolton had a dangerous counter-attack in the 63rd minute. Chris Eagles was put into space by Martin Petrov, but Gibbs raced back to force Eagles into taking a long-range shot.
Arsene Wenger said he believes that giving Van Persie the armband has helped the Dutchman become a better Arsenal player (from Arsenal.com): “I think he is one of these guys who develops with responsibilities. You would think he is not natural at the start but when he has the responsibility he really grows well into the role. I have observed him and he does very well.”
Despite the victory, the media are continuing the criticise the Gunners. Headlines across the country are saying things such as “Arsenal in trouble despite Bolton win.” The Daily Mail even has a story linking Robin van Persie with a move to Manchester City. While the victory over the Wanderers wasn’t perfect, it was a refreshing considering the recent performances.
Robin van Persie became the 17th player to score 100 goals for Arsenal Football Club. He was the driving force behind the Gunners in their 3-0 win. Arsene Wenger was smiling for the first time in quite a while, and Arsenal fans were chanting his name near the end of the match. Arsenal’s next test will come against Olyimpiacos in the Champions League at Ashburton Grove.
Jack Wilshere will undergo ankle surgery on Monday after disappointing test results this week. Wilshere will be missing until the end of the year.
Arsenal announced late on Friday night that Wilshere will have surgery on Monday. A report on Arsenal.com said about the length of recovery: “Wilshere is now expected to be out for a period of months. Following surgery these timescales will become more specific.”
A Club spokesman told Arsenal.com: “We have given Jack time to heal naturally which is important wherever possible with a young player. The latest scans show surgery is needed. Everyone at the Club wishes Jack a speedy recovery.”
The recovery has not yet been “speedy”, and I do not expect it to get “speedy” anytime soon. Based on recent history, the Arsenal medical team is terrible at handling injuries. Until there is a change made in the medical department, expect minor injuries to turn into moderate injuries, and moderate injuries to turn into major or severe problems.
Wilshere sent out two Twitter messages about the new developments: “been in a boot for a month and the bone is not responding. i will have surgery on my right ankle on monday with the two best surgeons around.” [sic]
“hopefully i will return to action around christmas time. i am in good hands! thanks for your support everyone!” [sic]
Many Gooners have been saying that everything would be fine once Jack returned. Now, with Wilshere out at least three more months, Arsenal supporters, including myself, will have to rely on the current group of midfielders. Mikel Arteta, who has been fading in the second half of matches, and Aaron Ramsey, who has to make more of an impact, must be trusted to control the middle of the park. Alex Song will contribute on the defensive side of things, but Arteta and Ramsey must be the playmakers who start the counter-attack.
After a brilliant first season in the senior team, Jack Wilshere is set to miss a major portion of his second season due to an ankle injury. Everyone (myself included) that has been saying “Once Jack’s back….” will have to hold off for quite a while. Once Jack does return, Arsenal may have already sealed their fate outside the top 4.
Arsenal desperately needs a victory over Bolton at the Emirates Stadium. Arsene Wenger will be under immense pressure if the Gunners cannot beat Bolton, who sit at 19th in the table. Owen Coyle also needs a win in order to justify his philosophy.
Injury News: Jack Wilshere will miss “months” after a set-back in his recovery. He will have surgery on his ankle on Monday. Later this morning , I will post a full article regarding Wilshere’s injury. Arsene Wenger revealed that Tomas Rosicky, Aaron Ramsey, and Bacary Sagna are available for Saturday. Johan Djourou (thankfully) and Yossi Benayoun will miss the match.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who had a great performance and goal against Shrewsbury Town mid-week, will be in the squad. Wenger said that the Ox is “two or three months” away from being a “responsible” senior player. We better hope Andrey Arshavin and Theo Walcott do not teach him how to be a first-team player.
Arsene Wenger said he must take the criticism (or bullets) for the young players (from The Telegraph): “Since I arrived in England there have been a lot of things said that are wrong, but on the positive side as well. I personally do not complain. When you have heavy criticism of a young player I am more worried about it. I am supposed to take the bullets and absorb them. Like a bear. A polar bear.”
Since Wenger’s teams of recent seasons have been mainly comprised of young players, Arsene seems to be taking many bullets. During the “pre-match” press conference, a majority of the questions asked to Wenger were not about Bolton. The topics ranged from Joey Barton, Ivan Gazidis, polar bears, etc.
“If anything, they will be much more dangerous because they are looking to get up and running. They want to get back to the levels they know they are capable of.”
Coyle implemented a more positive, attacking system at Bolton, and some are starting to wonder if he is too committed to his ideology. Sound like anyone to you? Bolton have lost their last four Premier League matches after beating QPR in their first game. The Wanderers are coming off of a 2-0 win over Aston Villa in the League Cup.
Last time the two sides meet, Bolton effectively ended Arsenal’s title chances by beating the Gunners 2-1 at the Reebok Stadium. Tamir Cohen scored the winner for the Wanderers in the 90th minute. Despite Coyle’s preferred style of play, both of the Bolton goals were from headers.
If Arsenal fail to beat Bolton on Saturday, they could sink to the bottom of the table by Sunday. The Gunners will need to secure the three points in order to turn their season around.
