Written by Mean Lean on Monday, 06 December 2010 16:14

I am sat in bed with a box of tissues (for my nose.. behave!) feeling somewhat under the weather today and reading around the Arsenal news is not really picking me up that's for sure. I think listening to the Sunday Supplement and various other sources has given me this virus.

Luckily I have actually taken a look at the league table for myself otherwise I would be having nightmares about our ongoing relegation fight that we are currently in, or so I am led to believe.

Whilst Fabianski may not be totally faultless, like the rest of the keepers in the division he actually has the second best shots to save ratio in the league behind Petr Cech. I would say that he has been directly at fault for one goal this season (Newcastle United at home) and has certainly saved us many more points this season.

Yet I have heard time after time this weekend that we will struggle to remain at the top without a new keeper. Any keeper, I suppose just not our goalkeeper.

I have also been able to decode the saying 'The jury is still out on the new central defenders'

What that actually means is 'we have only watched them on highlights and only know what club they have come from and haven't the foggiest about their strengths and weaknesses. This is the problem really, many pundits are often talking from a season behind reality. Fabianski to them is the keeper who came in cold, low on confidence and made blunder after blunder. Hopefully by next season he will be the actual keeper that we see today.

I find it hilarious that we actually get so much more knowledge and information from blogs from in fact Joe Blogs who write down their views in their spare time rather than x player who is being paid a shed load of cash to give an 'expert' view.

Plenty has been said about Alex Song's new found freedom this season and Wenger has confirmed that he wants Song to push on a little this season. So hopefully all the Song thinks he is Messi comments can be put aside finally, one hopes.

I personally feel that more has been made of this than need be. It is not as if Wilshere and for example Cesc are bursting into the box and Song has left his defensive duties and has ambled into the box leaving no midfielders ahead of our defence.

Wilshere has already spoken about the communication his team mates have about which players sit and which players join the attack. We rotate our midfield and all players are doing all the different jobs that the midfield position requires.

How many times have we been exposed through the midfield like we were against Manchester United last season? I am struggling to think of many, let alone any goals conceded because of it.

Another point is that we have most of the ball in most of our games, our offensive is quite often our defence, this is how we are, this is how Barcelona are. This is our system. Most of the teams we play against are happy to walk off the pitch against us after 90 minutes with a point in the bag. This happens home or away. We are not, we play to win games and to win games we need to score goals.

We need to put the opposition under pressure in their half, we need to create chances when the opposition are putting ten players behind the ball, we have had to come up with new ways to pull teams around. We are no longer playing 4-3-3, where one player is holding and the rest are attacking, the 4-2-3-1 now means that one of our two is now required to join our attacking players.

Let us not pretend that the Alex Song of Saturday has been the Alex Song of the whole season so far. He has been better than that, he has not only scored vital goals but has made assists or key passes (especially to wide players darting down the right) to players who have created goals.

We are often in a situation, especially at the Emirates where our back four are standing against one striker and the rest of their team are behind the ball. We do not need 6 or seven players back just in case they break on us. If the opposition had 5 or 6 players in our half then I would fully expect Alex Song to fulfil his role as chief protector of the Arsenal defence, how often are we in that situation?

Another position reason as to why Alex Song is often in the opposition half is because he is one of the best players we have in terms of putting pressure on the ball. He wins so many tackles high up the pitch thus giving our attacking players more opportunities to create chances.

I think we defend at our best when the whole team is closing down the opposition and stopping them from picking out passes. It doesn't matter if it is build up play from the back or counter attack, when Nasri and Arshavin close down the full backs and Chamakh puts pressure on the center half before he can lift his head and think about his next move, that is when we defend at our best.

The defensive responsibility does not fall on the shoulders of our back four and Song, we defend as a team, as a unit. We have made individual mistakes this season which has cost us goals that we could have done without.

The Mancs are unbeaten this season and they have the rock like Vidic and the experienced Rio along with the destroyer Fletcher in the middle of the park. Not to mention the experienced Van der Sar in goal, who wouldn't want to have him in their team?

Yet they have conceded two less goals than us and almost certainly we have had the more difficult fixtures so far.

If they are so strong and we are so bad, why oh why in the middle of December are we almost equal with Manchester United's goals against column?

Answers to: Arsenal Vision,
1 Top of the league road,
Cesc soon back street
just off, Vermaelen still to play road
PO Box AFC

But hey, not everything is rosy. Tommy V is out until the new year (next month) which isn't actually so bad if he makes it back then. The bad news is that Koscielny will be out until the end of December which leaves no room for injury or suspension. However it does give Johan Djourou the run that he deserves after some very impressive displays.

We could do with a Sol Campbell sitting on the bench right about now. Allowing Djourou the chance to rest his bones if needed. Wenger is clearly worried about over playing him after such a length of time out of the game.

It is amazing how opinions change, when he played against Manchester City and in his earlier games he was obviously rusty and lacking the match sharpness needed, yet he was written off as not good enough and a liability, nowadays he is the only good center back we have.

Djourou have Squillaci have developed a good understanding together so hopefully they can continue that good work in the absence of the Cobra and the sledge hammer (Vermaelen, for those who have forgotten about his powerful shooting)

Robin Van Persie is hoping to prove his doubters wrong this season and sustain a title challenge right to the end. He also spoke of the team missing a few chances earlier in the season which then set us back in certain games and that is my one complaint to date rather than our goals conceded.

We have so much of the ball and get into so many good areas yet we do not seem to reward ourselves with the required day light between us and our opponents. Fulham should have been put to sleep way before Kamara equalised. It happens all too often.

I wondered about our goal conversion rate this season so I asked good old Mr stats man Orbinho who you should follow on Twitter and he told me that we were actually third behind Manchester United first (19.8%) and Newcastle (16.3%) second. We currently have a conversion rate of 16% and that is actually much better than I thought. The problem may well be that we do not always end up making the goalkeeper work when we are in good positions.

One example from Saturday was Wilshere and Chamakh failing to work the keeper when both in the penalty area and this happens far too often.

I am not one of those who screams shoot or wants our players to strike the ball whenever we are within sight of goal. Nothing more frustrating than watching a player blast over the bar when three Arsenal players are in good positions, I would much rather we continue to work the best situations, just when we do get into those positions be more clinical, take more responsibility.

This is part of the reason why I want Van Persie back in our starting eleven on a regular basis. He is not one for shying away from taking goalscoring responsibility. He will get goals in this team and will create even more for others as we witnessed for Nasri's fabulous second on Saturday.

I might have to change the name of the blog to NasriVision such is the amount of times I have spoken about him over the last week or so. A reader has written his views on our mercurial Frenchman, which you can read here: Your Vision - The magic called Samir Nasri

Right, sorry for late blog but I needed rest and now I have finished I shall go back to my rest. A nice cuppa hot blackcurrant and some Sky Sports news me thinks.

Back tomorrow.

PS - Newcastle are mugs, thank god we have our board in place. Arsenal till I die.

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Comments (43)

• 06-Dec-2010 16:56 | | Bala
  

  I think Fabianski needs to save 11 penalties in a match for getting the good name he deserves

• 06-Dec-2010 17:04 | | raj
  

  Great post..according to some we,re playing crap..our defence is crap..well would rather be top and playing like this knowing theres alot more to come..

• 06-Dec-2010 17:11 | | MeanLean
  

  That is another great point Raj, our central defenders are playing together in a new team, new country with new team mates. Is it inconceivable to believe that they will improve?
  
  Look at Chelsea without Terry.

• 06-Dec-2010 17:13 | | nicoman
  

  song and his mate denilson are the reasons our central defenders how ever good they are have looked exposed at times. They are invariably at fault for alot of goals conceded. The non discerning Arsenal fan has been seduced into thinking they are decent because they have other good players around them in a good footballing system. They are both slow and cumbersome physically and mentally. However i will admit song has improved yet more than half of the holding midfielders in the premiership are better than him. They have always been totally exposed against the top teams.

• 06-Dec-2010 17:16 | | Bala
  

  Do you think Song was the reason for our defeat to Chelsea?

• 06-Dec-2010 17:25 | | Jekyll
  

  You are kidding yourself if you think it's okay the way we are playing. Look at the amount of goals we concede. The defence is exposed time and again by the midfield due to every one of them bombing forward, and the defenders themselves don't communicate with each other, hence accidents like we saw on Saturday between Kos and Squil.
  
  We are in a freakish position at the moment given the amount of defeats and amount of goals conceded, it won't be sustained with the way we defend. But Wenger just isn't interested in looking at that.

• 06-Dec-2010 17:38 | | gaya
  

  mean Lean, i wonder if u read the article on Gallas actions in Birmingham aas being the right attitude. i also wonder if you noticed there were no reactions to Harry's comments. i also wonder if you noticed that once Gallas, Adebayo and Kolo left, they were reinstated as world class players let go by Arsenal.
  i also wonder if the Arsenal fans realise the template used when it comes to all Arsenal. what i dont understand is why we should join in and beat the players with the same bat.
  
  the issue of Song and how others play on the pitch, i would have thot if something was wrong the manager would have also noticed and tried to fix it or maybe players play to the manager's instruction.
  
  i always get this feeling that most Arsenal fans look into other club envious of their players or draw up conclusions from what the so called exparts have to say,
  
  i may be wrong

• 06-Dec-2010 17:40 | | chris
  

  look at Chelsea with Terry

• 06-Dec-2010 17:42 | | MeanLean
  

  Disagree. Wenger has worked on the defensive side of the game this season and you can see by the way we set up that we have changed our system defensively, so he has worked on that side.
  
  In my opinion we have the personnel, we have the right system to win games we just have to make less errors defensively.
  
  We have to win our headers, mark our players etc
  
  The reason why we are in a 'freakish position' is because the rest of the league has improved. The Mancs and Chelsea will continue to lose games and so will we.
  
  The idea that our defenders do not communicate is another myth. Clash heads does not happen at Arsenal every week. It has happened to every team at one time or other ours happened once, in a game that we won. Not a big deal really.
  
  Question.. Why do you think that Man U have let in as many as ourselves?

• 06-Dec-2010 17:51 | | Ole Gunner
  

  I hear about how Song goes walkabouts, we're exposed & it's costing us goals. Guess who was attempting a tackle on the Fulham goal?

• 06-Dec-2010 17:56 | | Mango
  

  I think people are forgetting that we are missing our best centre back - Vermaelen. How would Chelsea or Man Utd perform if they lost Terry or Vidic for 4 months and how many silly goals would they concede if their best cenre backs were missing. I imagine their defensive frailties would be exposed as well.
  
  We have to remember that not only do we have Vermaelen out injured, but we also have 2 centre backs in Koscielny and Squillaci who have never played in the Premiership, and need time to adjust to the rigours of the Premier League and we also have Djorou who has been out for 14 months and is lacking match practice.
  
  All things considered we aren't doing too bad at all.

• 06-Dec-2010 18:02 | | swissgooner
  

  My opinion is that Song is adapting well to his new role and will naturally improve as the season progresses. And then, everybody will call him Songinho

• 06-Dec-2010 18:08 | | MeanLean
  

  You make a very good point. When Terry is out then it is poor Chelsea but when its Tommy then it is a weak under belly and all that shite

• 06-Dec-2010 18:30 | | meaner
  

  I vote Walcott as the most consistant player, as being a headless chicken more often than anyone else. Watching him play is disgusting..
  
  Barca r the best team in the world now. They took Helb and quickly realised how crap his end product is and immediately they left him out.. can watcott or anyone else survive in Barca squad rather than Fab or Nasir, n maybe Song?
  
  France have been crap lately, becasue they consist players like Diaby, Clichy, Gallas(overrated and luckily he is gone), etc. Its no coincident. Denilson will never represent Brazil and he may not even survive in other EPL teams. In the last world cup, briefly only Fab n RVP appearred regularly for their respective nations. In the past once u play for Arsenal, u will play for ur country. The same can't be said now, even Nasir was being left out in the last world cup.
  
  In order to be a TOP team in the world, Walcott, Diaby, Denilson, Clichy, and our 2 new centre backs should be axed. Eboue can be kept as a squad player, and being a favour in the dressing room. Bent can remain in the squad as well when we go for plan B.

• 06-Dec-2010 18:31 | | Zuala
  

  Who cares how many goals we concede as long as we keep winning?!
  Winning's winning!

• 06-Dec-2010 18:35 | | silentstan  - why song..
  

  How many times have we been exposed through the midfield like we were against Manchester United last season? I am struggling to think of many, let alone any goals conceded because of it.
  
  well you need to go back and watch the games again

• 06-Dec-2010 18:38 | | Jekyll
  

  We simply disagree then, fair enough. I don't think we are set up the right way, we are conceding as many as ever so if Wenger has worked on the defence it isn't working. Have you seen his latest quotes? They don't suggest a man concerned about defensive solidity to me. It doesn't rock his world. Do you think he is working on cutting out errors, marking players etc? Why then doesn't it ever improve, season after season? Did you see our defence against Fulham, quite apart from the head clash?
  
  Man U have been conceding a lot so far, it's true. The difference is Ferguson will be working to rectify it and once those players that made them so solid defensively before are back to full speed, then their defence will improve. Our personnel has changed from last season, yet we concede as many as ever. The problem is the coaching.

• 06-Dec-2010 18:43 | | Valentine  - Be grateful
  

  One thing that startles me is how ungrateful some so called know it Gooners are or maybe they are spuds fans pretending to be Gunners, We are top of the League, have lost our centre half in the Hammer, Lost Fab, diaby still we are there in the mix or must i say on top, watch Chelski without Terry, lampard and Essien and where are they??? If u cannot support Arsenal or have something more positive or constructive to say pls go down the Lane and they will be happy to have u like Billy Gallas and Bentley. Groovers pls Enjoy it, WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE AND THATS ALL THAT MATTERS NOW.

• 06-Dec-2010 18:54 | | UgGunner
  

  I disagree with you and other gunners who think that our mid fielders expose our defence all too often. If that were the case how many goals have we conceded in open play? Most goals are conceded through set pieces.
  
  The Man U defence you and others are waxing lyrical about has conceded only twofew goals thatn our incompetent defence. Use some perspective when you follow the so called expats punditry.

• 06-Dec-2010 18:55 | | Jenkinson
  

  Why is everyone saying our defence was all over the place against Fulham? They played long ball all afternoon; we played off-side trap. They beat the offside trap twice and one of those was due to the collision; the other led to a save by Fabianski. That is very successful defending.
  Now Mark Hughes is telling everyone that's the way to beat Arsenal -well it didn't work for him did it.

• 06-Dec-2010 18:58 | | Jekyll
  

  Tommy V played all last season and we conceded a decade high amount of goals The problem is the defensive coaching - or lack of it.

• 06-Dec-2010 19:10 | | MeanLean
  

  I had can email saying that I do not accept other views on Arsenal Vision, I would like to say that this is far from the case. If your views are respectable then you will be more than welcomed here.
  
  Other writers on AV have different view points to myself so I can hardly be judged as only wanting my own voice.
  
  Just wanted to get that off my chest. Thanks.

• 06-Dec-2010 19:11 | | donut  - reply
  

  i have been reading Arsenal blogs for 3 years now, and can say with great confidence that this article was the best and most intelligent that I have read to date.
  The trend in supporters is to repeat the views of the masses. The pundits are afraid of insulting their former friends and colleagues or just simply do the same as the supporters and just jump on that same bandwagon.
  On a similar note, as a US gooner I get to hear the views of Bobby McMahon on FSC weekly. He should be employed by Sky as he is far smarter and less afraid than any pundit working in the UK.
  Super article!

• 06-Dec-2010 20:02 | | Sergio Giorgini  - Fab, Song and Sami
  

  First off, I think Fabianski's acquitted himself if not absolved himself for past mistakes. He organises the defence better than Almunia, (remember the shirt pulling in Cesc in the West Ham game,) seems more confident in the one-on-ones and has the backing of one of the two lone voices of reason in English football journalism Paddy Barcley, (I think I've spelt that wrong,) who reckons that him become 'a great keeper'. The boy's fine.
  
  As for the Song issue, it'll be interesting to see how far up he pushes once Cesc is back, as it could be that Wenger's tying to compensate those 'quarter-back passes' by flooding opposition higher up the pitch. Remember earlier in the season Wenger criticised Alex Dimitri Song Billong for pushing up a bit too much for his liking. I do think against Man U next week he needs to sit. They have the forwards, even if they lack in the lower half of the pitch.
  
  Now on to Sami. Easily my favourite lesbian outside of a Viv Thomas film and fast becoming my favourite player in the team. Plus his new song is bloody brilliant.

• 06-Dec-2010 20:25 | | MeanLean
  

  Thank you for the kind words donut, anyone with such great taste will always be welcomed here!
  
  Where abouts from the states are you from?

• 06-Dec-2010 20:28 | | MeanLean
  

  Haha loved the last part. I do love Samir Nasri but as you say he has some way to go to compete with the Viv Thomas collection.
  
  And I totally agree with the Song observation. I was pretty much suggesting the same in the article. If we are playing against a side who are committing more attacking players against us then you can be sure that we will have enough players back to protect the defence.

• 06-Dec-2010 22:14 | | marcus
  

  Your defense of Song as an ATTACKING midfielder DOEN'T HOLD WATER given how awful he's been all season long. He's been very very poor, he was terrible on Saturday. Anyone watching him all season knows he's been playing badly - he constantly loses possession, has no composure and craps out in our attack all the time. IT'S NOT HIS GAME to be an attacking midfielder.
  
  And it beggars belief that an experienced, intelligent manager like AW well educated in the modern game has somehow decided that Arsenal do not need a defensive midfielder, that the back 4 need no protection. No wonder we're so easy to figure out.

• 06-Dec-2010 22:22 | | MeanLean
  

  Incorrect.
  
  Song is not played as an attacking midfielder. He joins our attacks but is statistically our most defensive midfielder this season.
  
  Song has not been poor all season, he started off form due to missing much of our pre season through injury and then he has improved. He played poorly on the weekend but that is not a regular performance.

• 06-Dec-2010 22:39 | | suckmydickman  - wdfiswrongwithyou
  

  for anyone who said i dont no if they are but that alex song is not good and muggin him off? fuck off who do you want instead he fits perfectly in the team he, DIABY!! and cesc as the three in middle are awsome? but adu and cesc are injured? soooooooooooo song is the best and majority of real fans love him so fuck off
  
  song for lifeeeeeee!!
  and i like gael to for all the haterz
  
  

• 06-Dec-2010 22:41 | | suckmydickman  - mynameisnotatyou
  

  loll thank you man, have people seen the state of chelsea recently in defence lmao? and MAN u they lost 4-0 at westham wiv out vidic annd rio, and whenever rio, or vidic out there is a problem, these people need to fuck off

• 06-Dec-2010 22:52 | | MeanLean
  

  Can you tone down your comments please.
  
  Thanks

• 06-Dec-2010 23:10 | | arsenal4ever  - lol
  

  100% agreed

• 07-Dec-2010 00:07 | | Eagleye
  

  Think its hilarious that everyone is getting on Wenger's back about our defence. As if it's something that he isnt concerned about, he just bought 2 defenders in the summer!? Are Squillaci and Koscielny really that bad?
  
  We admit we've had some hairy moments and times which have left us frustrated (Spurs@Home) but the defence is completely different from last year which remember Wenger said was not defensively good enough, so we have had to change!! Change we have, new goalie, new defenders. Whats with the impatience? We are top of the league and not leaking goals any more than Chelsea, Spurs or Man City!

• 07-Dec-2010 00:12 | | Donut  - Reply
  

  I live in Morristown TN. Lived here for 11 years.
  I have only just started coming on your site but will now check daily. There are too many blogs that have their opinion set pre-post. For example, no matter how many tackles, interceptions Song makes in final third or how many crucial goals or assists he gets, they will still want him to sit and protect. To me a good writer isn't predictable and stubborn. ANR, Le Grove and others are sites where I read the headline and know what they are gonna say before I read.
  I also have an issue with bloggers/pundits that cannot accept that there views aren't proved in future games. Perfect example would be the number of folk who informed me that Fabianski played well on Saturday but flapped at a few crosses. I had taped game and watched later to see Fabianski catch or punch ball at least outside box and never once 'flapped.' if you want for a player to fail you should not be a writer/blogger as you are not reporting what actually happened!
  I'll get off my soapbox now....., sorry!

• 07-Dec-2010 02:22 | | richie  - valid points Mango
  

  I have said many times recently that I think Kosh will eventually be a very good centre back, all thats needed is time for him to adapt to the prem, remembering that he arrived in the prem after only one season in the French 1st division. Previous to that 1 year in the French 1st he'd spent 3years in the 2nd - In other words his rise has been meteoric.
  
  Squillaci has much more expirence playing at a higher level, first playing for Monaco then winning the French legue with Lyon before recently playing for 2 years in La Ligua for Savilla. Obviously with his greater expirence he's adapted quicker.
  
  I also disagree Jekyll, Arsene has addressed our defense its set up with totally different players in a totally different way than in previous seasons, but as ML knows I'm not in agreement with him or even Arsene over the ballance or as I see it imbalance in the team. I'm worried that as Song goes forward along with our full backs the gaps that appear are big enough to drive a truck through.
  
  For all those who can't remember us conceding in open play they should watch the painful Bale goal again. It should put their statements into the right prospective.

• 07-Dec-2010 02:34 | | richie  - Total agreement on that
  

  Song like any player can have an off game and the weekend wasn't his best but Dimi is probably Arsenal's most improved player. When he's on Song so are we. Thankfully he's not been off key often.

• 07-Dec-2010 02:41 | | richie
  

  Well said Eagleye I would like us to play with a little more defensive ballance because that frustrates, but we have changed the GK and 3 out of 4 CD we can't be all that bad as "the know it all" pundits love to say when chatting about Chelski & Manu'er "the league don't lie"

• 07-Dec-2010 09:02 | | Kofi  - True
  

  Even worse not playing together regularly but still among the top 4 best defense. Look at some of the weird red card to Kos breaking the consistency. I think it would only get better.

• 07-Dec-2010 09:09 | | Kofi  - Funny
  

  It is a shame you think this way. Pundits and comments like these caused England and France. France dropped performers becos the pundits said arsenal was crap. It was arsenal who finally gave spain the assist to win. If Arjen Robin had taken that cue early he would have played van Persie in to win it. France played Evra not Clichy, Gercouf not Nasri and Toulelon not Diaby and even Henry for Anelka. Get your facts

• 07-Dec-2010 12:14 | | podge
  

  seems that when an arsenal player has a bad game it is remembered for the rest of the season seen newcastle goal against us every prematch build up since it happened and wilshere tackle on zigic most games too. Wonder how ong Kos injury/Kamara goal will be shown? Song has been a model of consistency over the last 2 seasons yes he has had the odd poor game but so has essien fletcher etc. Song has a bad 5 mins and we are talking about it 6 months later Song has been succesful in his forays forward this season as long as someone sits then there is no problem and someone normally does. The problem with the Arsenal team now is lack of leadership there isnt one player in the squad who i think should definetly be captain we should be trying to sign Scott Parker just to be captain. defensive mistakes happen when there is no one to hold the defenders accountable on the pitch. The main culprits for lack of leadership are Arshavin and Rosicky they are our 2 most experienced players yet how often have they grabbed a game by the scruff of the neck when no one else was performing the 2 champions league games we lost were srying out for Rosicky to step up, Arshavin captains his country but playes like a raw 18 year old for us honestly Wilshere is more mature on the pitch. Im not saying those 2 are playing badly just that they should be leaders on the pitch when we need them

• 07-Dec-2010 16:47 | | Aged Gooner  - What is meaner on
  

  what the hell is meaner on, what ever it is he needs to reduce the dosage.
  
  The only problem with Arsenal is that when Faby cannot roll out to full backs no midfielder or centre back either comes looking for the ball or has the confidence to control and make a quality pass to a colleague as again no one shows for the ball by dropping off.
  
  This means Fabi has to kick long and Cham if he does not win it the ball comes straight back and puts the pressure on the defence.
  
  The same happened when George Graham was manager especially against Leeds United when we lost 2.0 at home.
  
  That is what Wenger and Rice should be working on especially as it is in the coaching manuals which I had to read and work on when I passed my Full Badge in 1990.

• 08-Dec-2010 14:35 | | AnonymousGun
  

  erm.. remind me again where the tackle actually happens? And how its related with Song going into the opposing half?

• 08-Dec-2010 15:48 | | AnonymousGun
  

  its what happened when you dont read the article and simply read the title ;)

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