Infographic / Quick NLD Preview / Stopping Bale

Posted on by Standard Respond
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It’s NLD Eve! Who’s excited? I’m lucky, my nerves aren’t a slow burn like most, I never seem to get excited for this derby until kick off, which is a good thing. It allows me to clear my head before an absolutely must win match.

To win, we’ve got to stop Gareth Bale. It’s plain and simple on paper, but in the famous words of Andy Gray, paper never won a football match. Over the past few matches, Bale has risen to become one of the hottest players in the country, largely due to his ever-present direct style of play. What I’ve noticed more in his play of late though, and especially against West Ham, is that he’s become a free spirit. In a way, he’s taken up the mantle of Luka Modric; not in creating for others, but himself. The scariest part is it’s working. Bale is in the form of his life, having scored 15 goals and assisting once this season in the EPL.

While Bale is quickly becoming a scalpel of defense, he’s in danger of being manipulated by clumsy hands. If Bale doesn’t dictate play for the Spuds, they’ve got a problem. With misfiring strikers and average defenders, Tottenham have more weaknesses than it first appears. Isolating a key player seems obvious, but Bale’

Screen Shot 2013-03-02 at 12.27.21 AM Screen Shot 2013-03-02 at 12.43.01 AMBale’s heat map and average position vs. West Ham

Everyone knows I’m a huge fan of Per Mertesacker. Everyone knows he’s the glue to our back line, and that he’s indispensable… right? For once, I think Per will have to sit this one out. His form has gone pear-shaped, likely due to fatigue and the patchy form of Thomas Vermaelen. A combination of Koscielny and Vermaelen is just begging to be broken down via poor communication, but it’s a risk I think Arsène will have to take. Both defenders are strong in the tackle and in the air, and are full of pace to deal with Bale’s new found false 9 role. On either side, I have full confidence in Carl Jenkinson and Nacho Monreal to be tidy in defence and helpful on the counter. Most point to Carl as the person to deal with Bale, but I don’t think that will be the case for most of the match. I believe Bale will be the responsibility of our double pivot in midfield and central defensive partnership.

In midfield, I’d like to see Coquelin start beside Mikel Arteta to form a two-man marking system in the middle that targets Bale. If they’re conscious of both Bale’s movement and their own, he’ll be easy to contain with Coquelin’s tenacity and Arteta’s vision. The only Tottenham midfielder who can cause problems is Moussa Dembélé. He’s their most “complete” player in the sense that he can dribble, create, defend, and dictate play. If we’re going to press, then our attacking midfielder will have to stick to Dembélé the entire match, similarly to the job Wayne Rooney and Bryan Ruiz  have pulled off against Mikel Arteta in the past.

In the last 5-2. we were treated to one of Olivier Giroud’s more impressive performances, bullying Tottenham’s defense with ease, and coolly slotting home a difficult stretched pseudo-volley. With Younes Kaboul and Jan Vertonghen likely to start the match alongside attacking fullbacks Assou-Ekotto and Kyle Walker, our front line need to seize their opportunities, and expose the space behind Tottenham’s unintentionally high line. Theo Walcott and Lukas Podolski are just about matched for pace by their opposing defenders, but that hasn’t stopped them before. Service to Giroud must be thick and fast, as we know that Olivier tends to be wasteful and sulky if he doesn’t get his fair share.

A score of 4-2 jumps out at me, with Giroud bagging two and Podolski with a pair of assists and a goal to himself. Let’s hope we go out there with the intention to destroy from the first minute. If anybody should be worried, it’s the Spuds. They’re the ones striving to remain ahead in the table, and face pressure from their fans at home. I just hope we can go to White Hart Lane and give Bale and the Boys the beating they deserve. The magnitude of this match can’t be stressed enough.

A special thanks to @dorkkly for her wonderful infographics on the NLD! Make sure to follow her on Twitter.

Thanks to ESPNFC for diagrams on Bale.

Anders

A Few Words Before Battle

Posted on by Standard Respond
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No time to dwell on that huge disappointment now, we’ve got a monumental task in German giants, Bayern Munich. When I say “monumental”, I don’t insinuate that we have no chance at winning like the cheap rags that call themselves newspapers. I mean the “good” side of our beloved, bipolar Arsenal has to turn up, and remain for the 90 minutes. No messing about. This is the biggest game of the season so far.

Despite the dark, wafty fart cloud hanging over the Emirates, I’m confident we can get it done. Not because we’re in any way equal to Bayern, I’m not a fool. No amount of optimism could make me oblivious to the broad chasm separating us from those crazy Germans in form. No, I’m just used to the ups and downs of Arsenal Football Club. Everyone doubted us to beat Barcelona two years ago at the Emirates. I was too scared to watch it live, in fear of my stream freezing and cardiac arrest ensuing.

That amazing night, we were subject to an onslaught that only Barcelona can be associated with. Lionel Messi and David Villa were a nightmare to defend, and it looked for a while like we wouldn’t make it to the end of the match in one piece at times. Still, that nagging, quiet optimism in the back of my head refused to fade. Yes, we were taking our knocks, but Barça were wasting chances left, right and centre. We were too, but that was beside the point. The atmosphere was magnificent, the play was electric, and we looked a team who wasn’t afraid to take the game to the Catalans. Jack had the match of his life, out-playing the world’s best midfield pair like they were academy kids. Our two goals were absolutely brilliant, but Arshavin’s brace is among my top 10 Arsenal goals of all time. Controversial? Yes. It doesn’t matter, what that goal represented was (temporary) revenge for 2006, and everything Barça stood for. If I were to sum up this game with one sentence, it would be this: We started Johan Djourou and Nicklas Bendtner – and won. It doesn’t get better than that.

What does that have to do with tonight, you ask? That match is symbolic. Arsenal at their very best. Sure, we’ve undergone a massive personnel shift since then, but that doesn’t mean our attitude should change. We are the Arsenal, and we can beat you at your own game.

That sentiment held true against our 3-0 victory at home to AC Milan. I’ve never seen such a look of fear on the face of Zlatan Ibrahimovic as we tucked away our third goal of the night. No one had expected us to beat the pants of Milan, after our brutal humiliation at the San Siro. At the time, Milan were one of the best teams around. They attack fearsome, their defense tighter than Fort Knox. They were thrashing whoever they played, but we proved a lump in their throats that was tough to clear. Sure, we lost, but I haven’t been more proud of a team for their willingness to face adversity head on, and almost conquer.

While we haven’t lost to Bayern 4-0 in the 1st leg (touch wood), I don’t expect an easy game, for either team. If I were to put money on a result, it would be a 2-2 draw. Don’t expect us to keep a clean sheet against a team whose goal difference is higher than our EPL points tally. It’s gotten to the point where Manuel Neuer hasn’t even bothered to stand in between the sticks, instead warming up subs as they prepare to come on the field. Yes, Bayern aren’t exactly the leaky two-stroke speedboat we are at the moment, but it doesn’t mean they’re impervious either. Between Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott alone, I’m sure we can find an opening. Individual battles among players will be interesting, but the most anticipated one has to be between Jack and Bastian Schweinsteiger. It’s not every day we come up against one of the top 10 midfielders in the game, and as we saw two years ago against Barça, Jack can keep up with the best of ‘em. While I’m not all that confident in Giroud’s effectiveness tomorrow, the least he could do is give Van Buyten and pal a good rollicking in the air, or at least stun them with that nice mug of his. The most threatening players for both sides will be our wide forwards. With Podolski’s delivery and Theo’s pace, look for Alaba and Phillipe Lahm having to stay deep for periods of the match as they’re bombarded by our red-hot duo. If they don’t play well, we have no chance of winning.

I’m going to cut it short here, and leave you with this message: Forward. Yes, we have many unofficial mottos that help with describing our plan of attack tomorrow, but this one is the best. We can’t get pegged back, we have to be focused, and most importantly, we can’t be scared.

Come on you Gunners, march towards those Germans and give them all you’ve got!

Anders

No Answers from Arsenal, Only More Questions

Posted on by Standard 4
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Arsenal have bowed out of the FA Cup in what I would like to call an unprecedented manner, like being the operative word. I would like to tell you we didn’t get eliminated from a competition by a club in a lower division. I would like to tell you that it didn’t happen for the second time this season. I would also like to not be feeling this utter disappointment, but that’s not in the bag either. Arsenal are out of the FA Cup. I do not think many of us thought we would be uttering that phrase this weekend. We are coming out of the shock phase, and entering realization. With Bayern Munich coming to town tomorrow, Gunners across the globe have been put on suicide watch. Many have been spotted at the home section of department stores stealing forks and knives in some last-ditch effort to obtain “silverware” at any cost.

This weekend’s cup tie was with recent Premier League relegatees Blackburn Rovers. There is a figurative mountain of statistics boldly and poignantly displaying our shear dominance of this game. An indication that a pummeling should have ensued, however, there is that one nagging statistic in particular that didn’t coincide with the rest of the data: goals. We didn’t manage to muster up one single goal, but the Rovers some how nicked one in on our only single defensive lapse of the game. We had brilliant chances; they were wide, or off the crossbar, or to the goalie, or to the goalie again, and again, and then a late rocket into the side netting. All and all, this phenomenon isn’t exactly rare. I’m sure at this point you have read countless articles regarding the particulars of the match. I would not dare to ask you to relive this again. Anyway this is the day after, a day to move on. But can we?

For any other “big” club, this would be an off day; or at least would be chalked up to a strong-willed English defense, hurling its team into victory. disappointment would follow for the “big” club supporter, but it would fade, as their confidence in the club striving to win would not be hampered. They would tell themselves, “It may not be this competition, but there is the next one. Or the league is still in reach. We still have our ambition!” That would be my typical feeling after losing a match like the one we squandered on Saturday if it was only a few years ago. I am typically the beacon of reasonable, yet optimistic resolve. Yet that is not how I feel today. Today, I feel a disappointment towards the entire  club; manager, players, owners, and the board alike. I have a tough time being optimistic of a situation that has Arsenal struggling to stay in competitions, losing out to teams that are truly below their class, and barely clawing their way into the top-tier of the Premier League. The disappointment of losing will fade, perhaps it will take a bit longer this time, as many of us were looking to the magic of the FA Cup to reignite our once dominate ways. However, the growing number of questions are not fading. Considering that we did not have an out and out bad game, to “Wengerize” it, we were “a bit unlucky”, all that has come from this is more questions. How many times can luck be against us? How many times can goalies have the game of their lives against us? How many times can we not close out games? Can our team find the undying belief that we shall overcome the errors? Wenger out? Wenger in? Can Wenger turn this around? Will it take a year? Will it take more? Is it our expectations that need adjusting, or the club’s? Do we have the money to strength the squad? Why don’t we strengthen the squad? Why don’t we unload the “dead weight”? Why do we sell our best players? Do our players believe in the club? Do they believe in themselves? Do they believe in the manager? Will I regain my optimism the day after tomorrow? Will it be after the Germans come to town?

I hope to get some of these answers soon, preferably on the field and not from behind a microphone.  With my very last shred of optimism, come on you Gunners!

Dan is Brazilian by blood, a Yankee by birth, and Gooner by choice. You can follow his musings on Twitter @SoccerYankDan. Dan is also half of the Soccer Yanks, the podcasting, blogging, and general football malarkeying duo from the States, Check them out at SoccerYanks

Sunshine and Rainbows for Santos

Posted on by Standard 1
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You know that horrible feeling of your heart seizing up as you see a player go down in seemingly innocuous fashion? That happened this week with Kieran Gibbs. We all held our breath as Kieran tried to soldier on and run off his injury, but to no avail: his time in the match had come. As the air grew tense around the Emirates, the camera swung dramatically to reveal none other than the infamous André Santos, as he stripped down and began to prepare to being subbed on. You could almost hear the stereotypical villain music crescendo as each second of Santos’ unveiling passed.

In recent weeks, our cuddly little maverick has been subject to unfathomable abuse, mainly due to his defensive incompetence and seemingly poor attitude. His poor decisions and apparent lack of match fitness on the pitch has earned him the scapegoat’s bell ahead of Aaron Ramsey, Gervinho and others, while also being portrayed an anti-hero among some Arsenal fans. While Santos has never been an allstar defender, his recent performances have left a lot to be desired at any level, let alone the Premier League.

His play at Liverpool certainly didn’t do anything to repair his shoddy reputation, as he was often caught out of position, or committing potentially fatal mistakes at the back. It wasn’t a good day out for André at left back, but his days as a defender for Arsenal may be numbered.

There are two reasons for Santos to remain hopeful of a successful career at Arsenal, and ironically enough, they both involve transfers.

The first is the arrival of Nacho Monreal. With him in the squad and Gibbs fit, we have two brilliant left backs, freeing up Santos to be an attacking impact sub at left wing, which is his favored role judging by performances. Lukas Podolski rarely gets through a game, the Ox is off form, and Gervinho only seems to remember his brain in Africa, so our cuddly maverick could certainly do a job in a game where we lack ideas. His attacking capabilities are well documented, with his playful samba style and ferocious shot saving our bacon on occasion, namely against Chelsea and West Brom. Not the best option, but certainly not the worst.

The second is his departure. Andre is on the verge of a year-long loan move to Brazilian side Gremio. Whether it’s a move to make him happy, raise his price, or help his form, we’ll never know. All that’s for certain is he’ll be happy back in his native land playing more frequent minutes, instead of rotting on the bench in cold, miserable England. While he may not brush up on his defending in Brazil, he will at least find some form, and gain confidence with a change of scenery. The pressure won’t be as omnipresent as it is playing for Arsenal, and he’ll definitely enjoy himself. The Brasiliero fits him like a glove, naturally.

If he chooses not to return after this loan move, then both parties benefit. Santos goes home, we get a higher fee for a player in demand, and we are left with two defenders who are just that. Win win. I love Santos, but he’s nothing more than a liability at the back. In spirit, he’ll be missed. On the pitch however, Monreal and Gibbs are more than adequate in easing my woes.

This is my tentative return to blogging, as I try to fit writing back into my busy schedule. If you have any interest in writing for the site, send me some of your work. Contact me on Twitter @AnderstheGooner if you’re interested.

Anders

EPL Team of the Week

Posted on by Standard 1
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Since I saw Paul do this, I thought it would be a good idea to pitch in my own two cents. Maybe not every week, but a post like this has been on the back burner for a while. Anyway, here we go.

GK – David De Gea: The Spaniard made 7 crucial saves in United’s 3-2 win over Manchester City on Sunday. In his second season, De Gea has come into his own, with more assured performances of late. His reflexes were up with the best of them today, and he kept United in the match at times where City were dominant.

FB – Glen Johnson: A top corner screamer and a clean sheet? Say no more, this is once in a blue moon for Glen.

CB – Per Mertesacker: Never the show stopper but always the rock, Per Mertesacker proved why he deserves to be the first defender on the team sheet yet again, with a calm and efficient display. Seeing more and more of the ball each week, his passing was tidy and accurate (93%) and won all of his aerial challenges. A clean sheet on top of a quiet day at the back typifies the BFG.

CB – Sébastien Bassong: Norwich have only conceded more than 1 goal once in the past 10 matches, and some of that credit falls to Bassong. The Cameroonian has seen a spike in his goal output for the Canaries as well, tallying 3 in his last 4 matches. Keep up the good work Sébastien.

FB – Pablo Zabaleta: While City were ultimately robbed of a point late in the match from an RVP free kick, the Citizens were the better side for most of the match. One of the reasons they played so well was because of the efforts by largely unsung hero, Pablo Zabaleta. He worked hard at both ends of the pitch, and his hard work temporarily paid off, as he coolly slotted a well placed half volley past David De Gea. City’s luck ran out a short time later, but their performance, and Zabaleta’s, shouldn’t go overlooked.

CM – James McCarthy: Drawing first blood and the providing the winning goal isn’t what most expected out of young James McCarthy. He was the driving force for Wigan in midfield, making 9 tackles, scoring two goals, and achieving the second highest passing accuracy among his teammates, the 22 year old had an absolute stormer against QPR.

CAM – Jack Wilshere: The fact that a 5”6’ terrier won 100% of his aerial duels tells you that Jack is back. Effortlessly gliding past players and combining with Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta, Jack ran the show from the middle of the park. He dribbled past players 5 times successfully and managed an 81% pass accuracy stat. Not too shabby for a 20 year old who’s short on fitness.

CM – Mikel Arteta: A player who’s struggled with form up until Saturday, Arteta redeemed himself with beautiful link up play, solid defensive contribution, and two well taken penalties. He lived up to his title as a defensive midfielder, with 6 tackles and 2 interceptions against the Baggies.

CF – Michu: The million pound man has pulled off the double double – 2 goals in back to back matches – and is showing no signs of slowing down. It’s crazy to think that no one else even took a second look at him in the summer transfer window.

ST – Wayne Roney: 2 shots, 2 goals. Wayne Rooney found himself in the right places in the right time, and was a constant threat elsewhere on the pitch, as he quickened the pace of United’s play through the middle of the park.

ST – Fernando Torres: While we may never again see the Torres of old in his full form, El Niño did Benitez proud, scoring a volley Chuck Norris would be proud of, and a well taken penalty, which is a rare sight despite the fact he’s a striker. Well done for Fernando, who now has 11 goals this season.

That just about rounds out my list. 5 points goes to whoever can guess my 3 honorable mentions! (No, not really)

Anders

Know Arsène’s Targets: 4 Box to Box Hard Men

Posted on by Standard 5
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Over the past few days, Arsenal have been linked with holding midfielders left and right, following news that Abou Diaby’s return has been extended to 2013. It comes as no surprise that papers have fed off the news, and in turn have talked up every midfielder who fits the bill. There are many players who would suit our needs, but which can be considered realistic?

1. Victor Wanyama

A powerful presence in the middle, the Kenyan is known for his driving runs, aerial prowess and goalscoring ability. With 6 goals in 25 games, Wanyama is a tidy finisher from midfield. The 21 year old represents good value for money as well, with an estimated worth of less than £4m, he’s got plenty of time to improve his game without the pressure of a huge price tag and superstar status. While not necessarily a holding midfielder for Celtic, he has the physique and technique to play just about anywhere in midfield. He has already shown his more defensive side in the Champions League, averaging just over 4 tackles per match. A solid, versatile option for a reasonable price.

2. Luiz Gustavo

Despite there being 0 truth the rumor doing the rounds, the Brazilian man could be a good option, should Wenger set his sights. The Bayern man is currently on the mend after undergoing groin surgery, which should see him out until the new year.. With a contract running until 2015, and a rumored £10m price tag, chances are slim we’ll ever see Gustavo in an Arsenal shirt. He plies his trade for a side which are 1st choice for the Bundesliga title, and is a preferred option to start, when fit. Don’t get your hopes up.

3. Kevin Strootman

A player who often goes under the radar, Kevin Strootman is a midfield everyman. Scoring 6 goals and 4 assists in 22 matches for PSV this season, the 22-year-old has shown he can do a bit of everything, even from a deep midfield position. One of the most interesting stats about Strootman is his doggedness in the Europa League, demonstrating his defensive abilities. In 3 matches, he has averaged just under 8 tackles per game. Most centre backs don’t manager 8 tackles in a match, let alone a midfielder. An exciting prospect who is estimated to cost just under £8m. Another brilliant bargain that Arsène surely can’t ignored.

4. Mohamed Diamé

Most Arsenal fans will remember his sensation goal he scored for West Ham against us in October, and will be excited to know that he has a £3.5m release clause tied to his contract. In 15 appearances, Diamé has bagged two goals, and struck up a terrific partnership with West Ham talisman Kevin Nolan. He averages just over 4 tackles per match and one interception. Diamé is built like tree trunk, and it shows in his play. There are very few players in the EPL who can muscle him off the ball, and Diamé takes full advantage of this. With a powerful shot and decent passing abilities (avg. 30 passes p/g), Diamé looks one of the best buys of the bunch, the bonus being he already has Premier League experience. The catch? Yesterday, he picked up a hamstring injury that West Ham have declared will keep him off the pitch for at least 12 weeks. That sounds like an awfully long time for a hamstring tear, I call smoke and mirrors and that one. I expect him back in time for the end of January at most, giving Arsène time to make up his mind.

So there you have it. Four midfielders who are rumored to join the Arsenal in January. Which one would you have and why? Hit me in the comments section below.

Anders