Arsenal destined for sustained success
Well a 4-0 thrashing of Charlton and it could really have been a few more had we had a bit of luck and Carson not been so impressive. However let's not get greedy. It was a good performance and the best possible way of trying to erase Sheffield United from the memory banks.
A good return for Henry and Hleb and a brace for Van Persie who is now our top scorer by some way. Everyone says Arsenal need a guy who can score 20 a season other than Henry and surely Adebayor and Van Persie are both capable of it on current form.
That's 6 wins and 5 draws from our eleven home fixtures this season.
Arsene seems to think that we are finding some consistency an to an extent he is right, in our last 8 games we have won 4 (Blackburn, Sp*urs, Watford and Charlton), drawn 3 (Porto, Chelsea and Portsmouth) and lost 1 (Sheff Utd). Overall we are improving as a side and we haven't exactly been at full strength, but optimism is a strange thing and we expect more as all gooners can see the potential of the side.
However a top 3 finish is not beyond us and as long as we get closer to Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool than last year we can count this season as an improvement. A step in the right direction. I think it will take this season and next before you see us challenging for the title again, but given the financial burden of the new stadium and Chelsea's financial doping of the league in the last 2 years that's ok as we will be destined for a sustained run like United in the early 90's. It has to start somewhere.
We have young defenders, midfielders and forwards who all need to gain some experience and realise their full potential which doesn't happen overnight. It happens when you win big games and trophies and go an win games that you should have lost, make great comebacks and beat big teams away from home. These experiences make you better and given you that extra belief, but they take time.
Last season we had one of our worst performances away to Liverpool, we lost 1-0 and like at Sheff Utd we deserved to lose. It's not often you will hear me say that.
This time it's a good old fashioned cup game and even though there is no Cesc, a rest will do him no harm, we will have some injured players returning and I fancy us to get something out of it as the style of the game will suit us.
posted by JoeBoni @ 10:15 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
I too was very optimistic about the future until I went to Sheff Utd. I know we had a lot of players out but I honestly do not believe we will win the league now without some steel in the team, possibly even british steel. Aware we have diaby to come back but he alone cannot be asked to shoulder the burden. I believe we will always struggle to get a result up north in this league where teams will not roll over for us.It will take more than a 4-0 drubbing against a very poor Charlton side to convince me otherwise. Sorry to be pessimistic but I cannot help the way i feel.
A few thoughts on yesterday's game.
While all eyes were on Henry, two other players made me pay more attention. Cesc who again proved that while we are not a one man team, if we were to be, I would have handed it to the young Spaniard. Henry's unquestionable talents aside, it is Cesc who drives the team and dictates our tempo and play. The simplicity and grace with which he makes otherwise brilliant midfielders (Vieira, Gerrard and Lampard) appear ordinary is simply astonishing. This kid has the football world at his feet and I look forward to seeing him improve (if that is at all possible).
Second, Van Persie had that air of focus and determination about him, which makes him impossible to defend. While Thierry created room for the others by always drawing the defense to him, it was the lanky Dutchman who was the star of the show.
Clearly determined to prove that Arsenal have other options than Henry, he had a performance that made me remember why Van Basten is raving about him and hails him as a future legend.
It was visible on all Arsenal players that they were embarassed by the Sheff U performance, and wanted to erase that memory as soon as possible. It was only a bonus that we could stuff a team led by the hapless Pardew who looks dead set on relegating two teams in a single season. Nice job!
Overall, there is reason to be optimistic, but how many times have we seen the team perform majestically only to dissapoint bitterly in an inexplicable loss or draw.
Saturday is massive and I for one cannot wait to see which team shows up at Anfield, the Arsenal that took the game to Man U and beat them in their own stadium, or the team that made Sheff U look like world beaters.
Besides, the FA Cup looks like a serious chance for silverware, and we need to prioritise it. While, I agree that we need that CL spot next season, it is also vital to remind the players, and the fans alike that we are still a team capable of winning trophies.
With football optimism
Gus J.
Borehamwood Gooner, Happy New Year to you too mate.
I would have to agree that we will se almost 2 different sides over the next 2 games. I epxect Flamini to play in both and maybe Senderos and Clichy too but other than that it will be all change.
It will be interesting to see how many of the Liverpool players that play on Saturday play again in the CC, I think they prioritise it more than us but I am glad that we give the youngsters the chance to play.
That will be just as interesting a game if Liverpool do play most of their first team and we play our reserves / youth team.
Gus J, I agree with you that Fabregas has the potential to be the best, because of his football brain, he might not be the quickest (which in the long term is good as it means his ability does not overly rely on his physical attributes) but he sees the game a bit like Bergkamp did. When he can add goals to his game (he is getting in some good positions now and it'll only be a matter of time before he scores 10 a season) he will be the driving force of the team as well as the creative outlet.
As you say he has the world at his feet.
Van Persie has improved a lot and if he can score 20 a season and keep on improving then he too can be a great player.
Just think in 2/3 years time when Toure is reaching his physical peak as a defender, Fabregas is still improving and Van Persie is nearing his peak then we will have a brilliant spine to the team. Not to mention Walcott who will be much stronger and direct as a centre forward, Senderos, Clichy, Djourou and Eboue all experienced and match hardened.
It is a mouth watering prospect.
What's even better is that apart from all the young players in the first team now we have another even younger set coming through to be the youngsters when these players reach their peaks. The likes of Merida, Traore, Vela, Bendtner etc
I agree with you, Ano.
All the same. The same type of performance we see after Arsenal loose a game; the following home game has always been the photocopy of what we saw yesterday.
Arsenal beat an average team without inspiration, just like against Reading that was unsetled with the incident happened at Stamford Bridge. In Charlton case, Pardew seemed happier to make pace with AW than beating or at least drawing the game.
The bottom line is that Henry, RVP, Rosicky can't perform like they did yesterday in away game with resiliant teams like Bolton or Sheffield United...
For me yesterday's performance doesn't really deal with the real issues (inconsistant, light weight team)that worry the fans at the moment.
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