Arsenal 2-2 Boca Juniors: Defensive collapse ends in a draw

So many times last season we could have seen the same headline. Granted, this was a preseason game, but you’d like to see your club improving not sitting in a standstill. You’d like to feel a bit safe at 2-nil up, not worry that something, someone is gonna muck it up.

Typical to this preseason’s offerings, yesterday’s game against Boca Juniors was another game of two halves. The first half displayed the Arsenal we all love to see – working together, creating chances, using the width of the pitch and their pace to cause problems for the opposition back line. Like the match against FC Koln, Gervinho and Wilshere were standouts and their ability to link up with one another (and van Persie to put us on the board) was sublime.

The opening goal came courtesy of van Persie who had a perfect feed from the wide lying Gervinho (Wilshere deserves credit for the heads up pass to pick out Gervinho and get the whole opportunity started). The more I see from this pairing, the more I cannot wait for the season and what we have in store. The second Arsenal goal came 43 seconds into the second half, which saw Ramsey (one of 5 half-time subs) join van Persie on the score sheet thanks to a beauty of a strike from the edge of the box after a darting run by Vela.

Sadly, in true Arsenal style, leads are never comfortable and Boca came back to score 3 goals in three minutes and draw level with the hosts.The first Boca goal marked a rare moment of quality coupled with a mistake by Squillaci, who carelessly gave away the ball. Their second goal was another gift by way of a defensive howler from Djourou.

As I said before, yes this is preseason but again the question is raised: Why have we not signed a defender? Squillaci simply isn’t good enough and ruins whichever partnership he is thrust into. You can bring up the argument that he will be back up and certainly not a first choice defender, but that is the problem! We do not have sufficient depth, players who are good enough to step in when fatigue or injury rears its ugly head.

One of the other major negatives from this match was Samir Nasri. First and foremost, it was a disgrace to give him the captain’s armband in the second half and was like a slap in the face to all of us fans. All that aside, he showed, yet again, that he simply cannot play in the “Cesc” role. He disappeared far too often, lacked creativity, was not linking up with other players or pulling the strings. These quiet games from him are not going to cut it once the season is in full swing.

With all the negative out of the way, time for the positives! First and foremost, Wilshere and Gervinho were ace. I can never get enough of watching Jack play, he is an incredible talent. The addition of Gervinho to the squad has added another dimension to our attack as he is very direct and has great pace. Apparently no one has yet to inform him that he is supposed to wander around a bit and look for that one mystical pass when in front of goal. He means business and we needed that.

While I slagged our defense to a degree, the players other than Squillaci and Djourou were impressive. Traore not only reminded us how good he is at getting forward, but also taught us that somehow he learned how to defend as well. Koscielny was solid at the back and if we do not bring in a centre back I expect to see him and Vermaelen partnered in the starting lineup. While Jenkinson didn’t have the greatest of games, I am really pulling for him. He puts in good crosses and shows a lot of promise and talent. I think that with time he will be able to claim a spot with his boyhood club.

Lastly, Frimpong was much better on the ball and we all know he is built like a tank and strong in his ability to win balls. He broke attacks quite well and was overall impressive. You have to keep in mind, he is still just coming back from injury.

Later today it is on to the Red Bulls and the return of Thierry Henry to the Emirates. This game means more to me than most because while Arsenal is my true love in life, the Red Bulls are the club I support here in the States.

FC Koln 1-2 Arsenal: Gervinho shines while our defense does not

FC Koln started the match on the front foot, winning a free kick in only the 3rd minute of play when Podolski was bundled down by Song and Koscielny. Fortunately for us, the free kick was taken well high and wide  and we were still on level terms. It didn’t take long, however, for Arsenal to find their footing and string together a pressuring attack. The 7th minute graced us with the first goal in an Arsenal jersey for Gervinho, who converted a great pass from Wilshere which was slotted over the top of the Koln defense. I could not have been happier as this is what Arsenal needed, someone to come in and get the goals flowing.

Not even 10 minutes later, in the 16th minute, Gervinho added another goal to his name. This time taking a lovely ball from Walcott – bent between the keeper and centre backs – and tapping in his second goal in Arsenal red and white. Not only did the Ivorian score two, he just about set up Vermaelen for a goal as well. With 29 minutes under his belt, Gervinho was subbed for Ryo as a precaution to a minor knee knock he picked up.

As only could happen to Arsenal, just before the second half came to an end Jenkinson scored the most beautifully bizarre own goal as he tried to curl a ball clear but, technique failing him, lobbed it right over Szczesny’s head and into the back of the net. Definitely a sour way to end the half, but it happens.

The second half yielded an almost entirely different lineup, and boy did it show. You would think with Nasri, van Persie, and even Arshavin coming on we wouldn’t lose pace – but that is just what we did. Arshavin had a few chances he couldn’t capitalise on, Gibbs had a shot from a lovely van Persie flick which was easily saved, and defending was still suspect. The second half crew was not pressuring the defense or creating any real opportunities. Koln were more becoming more threatening as they were controlling more of the possession and  given our lack of energy and last-ditch defending. While the second half did see the return of Fabianski, it also saw an injury to Henderson (who twisted his knee) which looked as if it could be a bad one. But as the final whistle blew minutes later, it was 2-1 to the Arsenal.

Some positive things to point out about this game:

- Gervinho had a great display and showed what he has to offer…pace, movement, finishing. He had a great debut for the Gunners and despite being positioned out wide, thought like a striker and made excellent runs in. I look forward to more from him this season.

- The major difference between the first and second halves was Wilshere. His runs on the ball, passing, and leadership in the first half was a sight to be seen and what the second half was lacking. I sometimes sit in awe when watching his direction changing runs to break past defenders. Absolute beauty he is.

- Walcott had a number of good passes and balls into a deadly area, which is much better from him. It is a good sign for the future.

- Jenkinson, despite starting slow and having the wonder of an own goal, looked quite comfortable and composed at the back as well as showed a lot of energy. Some time as backup to Sagna can only help his career.

With positives, there are always negatives:

-Defending. We look a mess back there at times, giving too much space to Podolski in the first half and always seeming to play this last-ditch defending game. As is, our defending is not going to cut it this season.

- Where was Samir Nasri? After coming on in the second half, I found myself asking this question several times about the midfielder. He was quiet and contributed little to the game. In a half where creativity was lacking, he needed to be the one to step up, pull the strings, and get something going.

- Chamakh needs to get sorted, somehow. He has looked nothing like the player he was at the start of last season, keeping Arsenal in it when van Persie and Bendtner were sidelined. The summer has done nothing to restore his confidence. He needs to work harder to get into the game. I believe he can be a quality player.

All in all, not a bad result and certainly not a bad debut from Gervinho. It has gotten me excited for the upcoming season.

Gunners’ Asian tour wraps up with a draw

After quite the long break, Ramblings of a Gooner is back to continue writing on the club this girl loves.

Arsenal started their stint in Asia with a 4-0 win over Malaysia, which saw some new Gunners get some play time alongside some of our veteran loves. The second match, against Hangzhou Greentown, did not deliver such a good result.

The starting XI for the first half lined up as follows: Mannone, Sagna, Squillaci, Djourou, Traore, Frimpong, Rosicky, Nasri, Arshavin, Vela, and van Persie. From the start, they had a rough time finding their flow, wayward passes and an inability to string four or five together and get some kind of movement going were quite the problem. As early as the third minute, our chaky defence reared it’s ugly head as Djourou missed a challenge and Mannone made a somewhat uncomfortable looking block. Greentown were looking the more threatening side, and their opener finally came in the 16th minute from none other than a set piece. Mannone blocked the initial shot but had the rebound poked past him.

Not much changed after conceding a goal as our Arsenal lads still looked lethargic – pace and passing were anything but on point and the only player who really seemed to be “on” was Nasri. Our saving grace came just before the half when Arshavin clipped a ball over top the defense to van Persie whose shot was rebounded by Vela who stumbled onto the goal.

The second half saw a completely different side: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Vermaelen, Koscielny,  Gibbs, Wilshere, Song, Ramsey, Miyaichi, Walcott, and Chamakh. This lineup was far better than the first half, playing better and actually pressing forward and causing problems for Greentown. Despite crisper passing, more urgency, and more finesse than in the first half, Arsenal couldn’t break through the Greentown defense. While touch and movement were good, finishing was still not there.

Walcott looked good when coming on at the half, had fantastic movement but a poor final touch. He and Ryo put in several good crosses which were met by no one. Chamakh executed some chances quite well, but to no avail. While the second half was more promising, that is all it was.

That all being said, this is the preseason. It is a chance to get back to fitness and give some of the newest additions a chance to show what they have. You can’t really take too much from this game, just enjoy being able to watch the Arsenal again. We all have those questions and curiosities (will we sign a defender? will we fix our poor set piece defending? who will we bring in to strengthen our weaknesses? who else will leave?) but the season hasn’t started yet and we still have plenty of time to sort it out.

Arsenal v United: A Preview

Weeks ago this game was looked at as being where the title could be decided, the make or break of our championship hopes. Now, with Arsenal being out of the race, it is simply a chance to prove we can still show up and deliver, we can still beat top teams. Pride is on the line today, so let’s prove how proud we are.

The pressure will be listed since we have nothing to lose and can just cause problems for United and re-open the title race. I hope to see the lads come out with the fight and desire they had against Barcelona.

Taking three points from United is never the easiest of tasks, and with them wanting to take whatever points they can, they may just park the bus and look to the counter attack for a possible goal. In order for us to score, we’ll need to make better of our chances. Our passing has to be quicker and the likes of Cesc and Nasri have to step up and deliver a good performance.

The first goal is going to set the tone, if we can get at the United defence early we may just break their unbeaten streak against us, which spans the last 7 meetings. Having won only one of our last seven, a win could certainly boost end of the season morale and help us to secure third.

My favourite lineup pretty much picks itself:

Szczesny – Sagna – Koscielny – Djourou – Clichy – Song – Wilshere – Fabregas – Walcott – van Persie – Nasri

Today, our lads need to show that they are good enough to challenge for and win titles. While this season it can’t happen, this win could help set the tone for next season. They need to show us that hunger and will to win!

Here’s to three points and keeping United from celebrating on our pitch!

Bolton 2-1 Arsenal: Our title hopes are no more

As Arsene said after the match “I am convinced we are a very good footballing side. We have not been stable enough defensively.” That pretty much says it all right there. A shaky defence will kill you, no matter how many goals you score if they can’t keep the opposition from scoring, it is a wash.

After a loss away to Bolton ended our ridiculous string of unbeaten (drawn) games, Arsenal’s title hopes are no more. Finally, the last strand of hope we were holding onto has blown away and we are faced with the cold, hard reality of it all…another season without a trophy.

Arsenal dominated possession, as usual, but couldn’t make their chances count, as usual.  Both Bolton goals came from set pieces, corners to be exact – the first in the 38^th minute when Sturridge found the back of the net after Cahill’s header was blocked and the second in the 90^th minute when Cohen headed it home and secured three points for the Wanderers. Time and time again this weakness has been exposed, our inability to defend set pieces is no new story…but we do nothing about it.

It wasn’t all bad performance wise despite the fact that we didn’t look like we were fighting to hold onto title hopes. Walcott did well to force a save in the early minutes and was unlucky to not get a penalty call when he was brought down in the box with the defender having no contact with the ball. Cesc had an attempt in the 15^th minute that was sent wide by the keeper’s fingertips, and later in the first half a shot fired off the woodwork. The second half saw the great strike by van Persie to pull us level until the closing minutes. What we had to offer just wasn’t good enough.

To touch base on the player performances a bit:

Djourou had possibly his worst performance at the back yesterday. He was awful all around, gave up a stupid penalty against Sturridge, was who knows where when he and Koscielny let Lee penetrate into the box with ease.

Song seemed sluggish and just wasn’t good enough.

Nasri has lost his touch as of late and isn’t making positive runs or getting into the kind of positions where he can pose a threat.

Arshavin, I thought, looked bright when he came on in the second half. He was making runs and was the only player in red and white on the pitch who wasn’t afraid to shoot, winning us a number of corners.

Szczesny was the only player who can be genuinely pleased with his performance. He had save after save to keep us in it and stopped a Kevin Davies penalty in the second half. His back four let him down and tarnished his superb display in goal.

That all being said, us fans still need to stick behind this team. We can’t get down on the players, the manager, etc…they still need our support and this season isn’t over, our job isn’t done. While any chance of silverware is out of reach, we still have to fight to ensure an automation Champions League spot next season. Nothing can be changed now as far as this team goes, so save all that nonsense until the summer. Simply put, back the club you love.

Bolton v Arsenal: Another chance at hope

With both United and Chelsea winning yesterday, the match away to Bolton today is our last bit of hope. While we remain all but mathematically eliminated from winning the title, three points today could keep us grasping, while a defeat would surely close the door on any chance we may have.

Both teams come into the day on less than desirable recent results, Arsenal having drawn with rivals Spurs, and Bolton having been thrashed in an FA Cup semi against Stoke. Bolton and Arsenal alike will have a desire to bounce back quickly and walk away with a positive result to get back on track.

Our Gunners haven’t been in the best of form in away matches as of late. Letting in 10 goals and dropping 6 points in their last 5 matches played away from the Emirates. A positive 90 minutes is going to be key and we need the lads to give their all from the first whistle to the last. If we come out with nerves or doubts in our play because of the importance of this game, Bolton’s game will be only be boosted. While this is a must win, we need to be cool and collected and play organized football.

Our front three should have plenty of opportunity for shots on goal as Bolton will surely push forward, leaving space for Walcott, van Persie, and Nasri to make runs behind the defence. Unlike past performances, we need to make the best of these chances and start being more clinical with our finishing; we’ve been wasting too many chances and it shows in our point totals.

Bolton’s threats will come in the form of long balls into Davies, and from set pieces (a proven Arsenal weakness this season). If we can shut these attempts at an attack down, we will have the upper hand.  The game should have an open flow to it which will favor the fellas in red and white as Bolton are going to be looking to redeem themselves, and with the return of Sturridge to the lineup. Defending everywhere on the pitch is going to need to be solid and we can’t make the type of silly mistakes in the midfield like that of Diaby’s which cost us against Spurs.

If numbers have anything to say about the future or possible outcome, they are certainly in our favor. Arsenal have won their last 8 games against Bolton, having not lost since November 2006. In addition, these two clubs have met 23 times in the Premier League; with Arsenal have recording 14 victories.

I expect to see one change from the side that faced Tottenham midweek, Wilshere in for the injured Diaby. However, I would not be surprised to see Arshavin given the nod ahead of Walcott, saving his pace for an impact situation later in the game. Theo’s recent displays have seen him disappear in the second half anyway, so he could find himself in the sub role though I highly doubt it.

My favourite lineup:

Szczesny – Sagna – Djourou – Koscielny – Clichy – Song – Fabregas – Wilshere – Walcott – van Persie – Nasri

I’m certainly positive about our chances today, but as we have seen before, anything can happen. I’d like to see an early goal, if nothing more than to open the scoring and ease the nerves. The important thing will be defending the lead.

Hope you enjoy the game wherever you may be watching…let’s cheer our Gunners to three points!

Tottenham 3-3 Arsenal: Another blown lead ends in a draw

While mathematically, the title race is not completely out of reach, it seems even more unlikely after the lads managed to piss away another lead last night against Spurs. To go from being 3-1 up and pressing for a fourth, to 3-3 at the final whistle is a major blow. In fact, we were lucky to even walk away from this game with that one point.

Spurs were far livelier in the second half and looked more dangerous in the final third than the Arsenal attack. They showed more grit and determination, more hunger for the three points than our lads did. That is not to say that we played poorly, or that we didn’t want it – simply when push came to shove our rivals seemed to want it more.

It was a great start to the evening with Walcott slotting a goal in the 4^th minute. Finally it looked as if the team woke up and were going to score more goals. Sadly, before Nasri could shoot through the defence and double our lead in the 12^th minute, van der Vaart equalised on 7.

Arsenal were playing this first half with more ease and fluidity than the whole of the Liverpool match over the weekend, there were signs of the best yet again; and 40 minutes into the derby, it was 3-1 to the Arsenal as van Persie rebounded his header and the shot flew past Gomes and into the back of the net. Yet again, it only took minutes for Spurs to draw one back as Huddlestone’s strike flew past Szczesny.

Half time and it was 3-2 to the good guys. While Spurs came out and were the more threatening side for most of the second half, the Arsenal defence did their job and kept the goals at bay. That all changed in the 69^th minute when Szczesny unnecessarily left his goal and brought Lennon down inside the box, penalty to Spurs and van der Vaart converted with ease. The penalty was silly on Szczesny’s part but his back four failed him as no one even challenged Lennon but let him mosey on in.

The next chunk of time saw Szczesny do his damnedest to make up for his mistake with save after save as our attack had gone cold. When the final whistle blew, we had only gained a point on United, thus letting Chelsea leapfrog us into second (solely on goal difference).

While I don’t do player ratings, I would like to touch base on my thoughts on a couple of performances tonight:

Szczesny – Despite the poor decision which lead to a penalty, he had an outstanding performance in goal. His saves kept us in it and kept the scoreline manageable.

Walcott – Again, a great first half, very dangerous and a big part of our attacking threat. However, he went missing in the second half as he has done too many times before.

Clichy – Awful defensive display, enough said.

Diaby – I have mixed feelings when it comes to Diaby. I think he can be a great player and huge asset to our squad – but when is he going to show how good he is, when will we see his worth. Another game where he just wasn’t good enough.

It was nice to see our lads get back to scoring ways, especially given the lack of goals as of late. All we can do now is keep fighting and hope that somewhere along the way United screw up again and drop points. It may be hard to keep holding onto that last bit of hope and see it diminish every week, but loving this club it is what we will do. Despite the pain, I’m in it til the end.