P.S. Winning has a doubly good outcome these days, the neg's will be less evidently on show me thinks..................Well we live in hope anyway!
Previews
Written by Mean Lean on Sunday, 16 October 2011 11:09
It has felt like a long while since the Arsenal last took to the field. That memory wasn't a nice memory to end the domestic football and then to jump into the international week but the length of time away from the focus has dampened the pain just a notch.
I usually do not know what to expect post internationals as history tells us that Wenger's momentum teams have often stalled after having their collective engines switched off for any length of time. Having already dropped more than enough points at this stage of the season, we cannot afford to do anything but hit the Ashburton ground running.
Opposition
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce may have some sympathy for Arsene Wenger as his team as well as himself are going through a difficult time. They have spent plenty of money and have many new faces to attempt to integrate as quickly as possible which has made their results suffer.
Sunderland have only managed six points from their first seven games, which is their worst start to a season since 2005-06. There have been calls for Steve Bruce to be sacked so the opposition must be feeling under as much pressure to ourselves right now. Hopefully that can work in our favour.
Goalkeeper & Defence
Laurent Koscielny will return to the team which will thankfully push Alex Song further forward into the position he needs to be in. Koscielny will resume his partnership with Per Mertesacker and it will be down to Arsene to decide to start Andre Santos or Kieran Gibbs. Arsene would have been able to keep a close eye on their progress during the last week as both would have been at the club while many faces would have been representing their countries.
Bacary Sagna's right back spot will be the obvious focus this afternoon and all eyes are likely to be glared on youngster Carl Jenkinson. He will have to expect to be targeted over the next few weeks so an impressive start this afternoon could do wonders to his confidence.
As many have already said, let us not forget that this youngster is one of us, a real Gooner living the dream and he needs our support and encouragement regardless of his performance. That could be the difference from a confident display and a shaky 90 minutes.
Midfield
The midfield three pretty much picks itself now at least until Abou Diaby gets the chance to stake his claim. Alex Song, Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey should have had enough games to have developed an understanding together. I am hoping to see a more creative spark from the three and hopefully we can have one of them taking turns to support our three forward players.
Attack
Our front three should remain the same. You get the feeling that they are still trying to adjust and adapt together. Gervinho has plenty of ability but as yet to find consistency, his link up play with his team mates has blown hot and cold. I suspect that our attack will improve as the understanding and link up play matures and improves. I feel as if Gervinho needs a goal and a good performance, he looks very much a confidence player so the quicker he feels settled and confident the better for our end product in the final third.
Injuries
We are down to our long term injuries and hopefully two of those will be back with the squad shortly. Abou Diaby and Thomas Vermaelen should be back in contention over the next few weeks while Jack Wilshere and Bacary Sagna remain on the treatment table for the longer term.
Injury List
Abou Diaby, Thomas Vermaelen, Jack Wilshere, Bacary Sagna
Mean Lean's Predicted Line Up

You would be very surprised to see anything but this line up give or take a Santos for a Gibbs. The usual applies to this game. We want to see a solid, hard working team display both offensively and defensively but the speed of the passing and the tempo of the game usually decides how an Arsenal home game will turn out. If we can start the game quickly and find our rhythm early then we should expect a victory but if we do not click which has been the case for a new team with so many components, then it could be a more difficult afternoon.
After the refereeing decisions in last season's fixture, we deserve a bit of good fortune from the footballing gods. An early deflected goal or an own goal early in the game for us would be what we deserve.
Come on you Gunners.
Fancy writing your own articles for fellow Gooners to read? Click Your Vision section.
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16-Oct-2011 22:28 | | richie - A much needed win
ML Your line up wasn't bad 10 out of 11- I felt the one you missed Rosicky had a good 80mins against Sunderland driving though the middle of the park really well on a good few accasions. The final ball mightn't of been there but there was often a lack of understanding or communication between all the players in the final third. RvP's class was undoubtedly the difference between the teams, although on a technical level I felt we were a notch above the black cats. Defensively we still look anything but solid. Still after the international breaks we always look a bit out of kilter, so this serves as a very welcome 3 points hopefully this will add to the teams confidence we can build on this going forward.
P.S. Winning has a doubly good outcome these days, the neg's will be less evidently on show me thinks..................Well we live in hope anyway!
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17-Oct-2011 03:15 | | Man United Killer
Hello Richie.Been ages.I hope you are doing well...RVP's class is what won the day and I am glad you mentioned that.Maybe the big lesson to learn from this is that class counts..so it is justified to spend substantial amounts to recruit class.That said, I have to say for once in a long while, I didnt find a lot wrong with Rosicky's game today...but the boy called Song was pretty darn impressive too...
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17-Oct-2011 04:21 | | Spectrum
How are you, Man United Killa ? Nice to have your company. Agree with you on Rosicky. He looked tuned in and busy in midfield. He made some nice passes, though I'd like to see some more consistency in his game. Song did well, and I think he must be our leading assist maker, though not contributing in that area yesterday.Still, he seems to be having a decent season so far.
Robin for me, was the difference between the two sides. Again, we're on the same page here. His class was evident. I also liked Arshavin's dribble. Pity he couldn't have finished it, it would have been quite a memorable goal. Just goes to show what he COULD be capable of if Wenger was prepared to venture outside of his limited tactical thinking.
I was concerned by Chesney's Almunia moment. Dashing unnecessarily out of position and leaving the goal exposed. It could have been costly. We ALWAYS look vulnerable in defence. And although we had much of the possession, we didn't do a lot with it, as usual. Our record against Sunderland before the match was W 5 D 3 L 0 16 for 6 against. So going on the stats, a win was to be expected. In fact, given how ordinary Sunderland were, it would have been a shock if we hadn't have beaten them.
All in all, a satisfactory, if not convincing performance. Our home form is holding up, which luckily for us, compensates for our dire away record. Man. City won also, so it's a case of "as you were" for us.
" ******************"
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17-Oct-2011 04:29 | | Spectrum
By the way, Killa - Why was Gibbs taken off ? I lost the stream coverage for a while, and when I got it back, he had been replaced by Santos.
Don't tell me Gibbs is injured AGAIN ? If so, it really goes to show that he's made of balsa wood.
" ******************"
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17-Oct-2011 10:04 | | richie - Yes I'm good MUK couldn't post no energy for it
I don't necessarily wish Kroenke and his boardroom trouble shooting bod would spend big money and I ain't convinced big money buys would suit us, Class doesn't mean spending big money after all Cesc was class and he only cost us €2mil, but when you give someone a list of players you want with a desending order you'd hope they might get one from the top 5 another from the top 10 etc etc instead of the last 6 on the list eh?
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17-Oct-2011 10:08 | | richie - P.S MUK
Or possibly more to the point the cheapest names on the list.
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17-Oct-2011 10:29 | | richie - Why I see things differently
My point is MUK we can criticise Wengers tactic's and his line ups, but Wenger doesn't buy players or enter into contract deals, he gives the board a list of players the scouting team has identified as potential targets and obviously he agree's with the scouts the players on the list. Then he sits back a waits to see what fish they reel in, and whoever they reel in is who he has to work with. In other words I see things differently from many because I firmly believe Arsene Wenger has managed to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear on many an accasion. I recall many players lighting up Highbury and the Emirates, but I can't recall many leaving us and lighting up the world. In point of fact the opposite has happened.
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17-Oct-2011 10:53 | | richie
As I've been AWOL I beg everyone's forgiveness as I seem to be behind the game and off the pace. I've only just read ML's article "What did Grimaldi mean by padding out our squad" and not having read it before I've managed to paraphrase much that was mention by ML and Grimaldi concerning the way we as a club are operating under Kroenke's ownership. Especially the strict finacial limmits imposed re the wage structure and selling before buying.
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17-Oct-2011 11:05 | | Spectrum
richie - Even if we assume for the sake of argument, that Wenger doesn't always get the players he wanted, it's still HIS responsibility to manage them successfully. And clearly he hasn't been doing that for some years now. EVERYTHING, repeat EVERYTHING on that happens ON the pitch is down to him, as he chooses the team, the tactics, it's ultimately him that ensures they're fit enough, e.t.c. e.t.c.
And Wenger has been told a number of times, that if he wants a player, the money will be made available to him. "If HE wants a player". The choice is HIS. And the money is there if he WANTS to spend it. Like it was there this season and the last. If we didn't get who we wanted, who HE wanted - it's because HE didn't want to part with the necessary money to do so. It's his fault.
Case in point - Gary Cahill. Close to the end of the window, Wenger offered a pittance for him - 1.5. million. Owen Coyle rightly dismissed the "bid" as insulting. "Derisory" to use his words. So with a 100 million to spend, we offer 1.5 million ? Please explain.
" ******************"
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17-Oct-2011 12:21 | | pika
1.5 million for gary cahill? lol we can find ten kolo toures with that amount of money

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17-Oct-2011 13:03 | | Spectrum
pika - As usual you miss the point and avoid the issue.Cahill was valued at 10 million at the time. We badly needed ( and probably still need ) a QUALITY defender. How can Wenger expect a 'bid' ( if that's what you can call it ), of a lousy one and a half million, to be taken seriously ? Particularly as we had been after Cahill for a long time before that, and had previously made a more realistic, ( though still inadequate ) offer for him.
It doesn't make sense at all. If you were Coyle, what would you have said or done ? You'd tell Wenger to go jump. Well, maybe YOU wouldn't of course, but 99% of right minded people would.
" ******************"

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17-Oct-2011 13:06 | | Spectrum
pika - Gee, that reply sure makes a lot of sense.
" ******************"
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17-Oct-2011 13:57 | | indian gooner forever.... - Correction spectrum - cahill was valued at 17milli
Cahill was valued at 17million by bolton and that is exactly the reason why it was a no brainer on their part...........This guy is in the last year of his contract and he hasn't signed a new one which means he will be going for somewhere around 5 or 6million in January or even cheaper in the summer...........And Coyle and yourself must be backslapping buddies for you to know that we bid 1.5million for Cahill.....or may be your divine god Harry the drunkard might have told you that.....
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17-Oct-2011 14:12 | | MeanLean
Spectrum,
Do you really believe that Wenger has so much control at Arsenal that he controls how much he spends and the wage structure? Many people close to the club have basically said that Arsene has wanted big players but the club would not sanction them because of the wage structure that we have.
I cannot imagine that you would allow yourself to look a little further than our manager because you have already jumped head first into the 'Arsene is the worst manager possible' bandwagon.
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17-Oct-2011 14:31 | | Spectrum
indian gooner forever - Thankyou for correcting me there. I'd forgotten it was 17 million. And the bid was 6 million ( got mixed up from relying on memory ). But that reinforces my point EVEN MORE, doesn't it ? Wenger knew Bolton didn't need to sell Cahill. So he knew that if he wanted him, he would have to be PREPARED TO PAY the asking price, which although high for a player in the last year of his contract, was easily affordable - IF Wenger was prepared to pay up. Considering the quality of Cahill, and considering if you believe Wenger, we are serious about winning the league, why wouldn't you go for it ?
Wenger isn't serious that's why.
" ******************"
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17-Oct-2011 14:51 | | Spectrum
Mean Lean - Then as I've said before, the wage structure needs CHANGING. We need to end the system of wage parity, where the kids are paid almost as much as the senior players. Other Premier League clubs don't have this type of wage structure, apparently.Only us. We need to rearrange our priorities.Make it based on the merits of a player. Not base it on some form of egalitarianism.The senior players should be paid more, the others less. Quite simple really.
You should be asking the board why they persist with this misguided policy. If they dispensed with it, we might better be able to afford the wages of the big names.The big names we should be attracting, but won't, if what you claim is true. And if they refuse to do so, how can we ever again expect success in the future ? Shouldn't that worry us ?
Of course, this is largely academic, as salary and team issues are largely irrelevant, as long as we have the incumbent continuing to run the show. But until he goes, we should all be demanding a change in the approach to salary setting.
" ******************"
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17-Oct-2011 16:09 | | MeanLean
You could be right about making adjustments to our wage structure if we want to make sure that we don't lose our best players to clubs who will pay more but then why is this the managers fault and the managers fault only? Do you think we were super big spenders under George Graham and then Wenger came along and demanded that we lowered it?
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17-Oct-2011 16:09 | | Man United Killer
Spectrum,as always, I enjoyed reading your post.Your comment regarding Chesney's Almunia moment was funny.I am not sure why he did that but given his experience and the lack thereof maybe it is better he makes such mistakes at this stage of his career and not later.Sunderland can be a tricky opposition but I totally agree with you that this was a must-win given that they are without Bent or Gyan.
Wenger has already started talking about how he thinks we are out of the tunnel and how he expects us come start running with the pieces.I say "lets wait for the next 3 games or so before we start getting excited over nothing" . I was pleased with the shift the boys put in tomorrow- though this victory should under ordinary circumstances raise no heads.
Gibbs is injured I think.He started to limp quite a bit hence his substitution.Hopefully its not serious.And..LOL@balsa wood.I see you got jokes!
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17-Oct-2011 16:09 | | MeanLean
Oh and by the way, new post is up..
http://www.arsenalvision.co.uk/reviews/3815-sunderland-h-post-match- thoughts-subtlety-over-power-wins-the-day.html
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17-Oct-2011 16:22 | | Man United Killer - Why I disagree to some extent
Richie, I have said countless times that I dont believe in throwing away huge sums of money to buy 'supposed world class players' but lets analyze this:
We bought Cesc for 2 million Euros but where is he now?How old was he when we got him for 2 million?Can we get a player of Cesc's quality for 2 million now?The problem is that, we do not spend money to complement the quality we already have and that is what is costing us.In the end we lose our top players anyway and then we have to start all over.I can bet my house on the fact that, if we had complemented our Cesc,Nasri,RVP, with a few key players key areas, we would have won the league at least twice in the last 4 years.But that never happened.We continued to import substandard players.IMO, the days when you could win the league on the cheap are gone.These days, you need to spend some money if you want quality.It comes as a surprise to me that Wenger does not know this.We sold Cesc,Nasri,Clicy for a total of God knows how much and brought in 4 players who are not even worth half as much.Where did the money go?
It may be true that Wenger is not responsible for buying the players directly but he is responsible for choosing who he wants to spend his transfer kitty on.He has not made many good choices in the past couple of years.Finally, Wengers tippy tappy has done no less harm than his reluctance sign quality players.Our tippy tappy give us the lion's share of possession (except vs Barca) and what do we do with it?NOTHING!!
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17-Oct-2011 16:24 | | Man United Killer
No one can explain that satisfactorily enough Spec.Because it makes no sense whatsoever.I cant wait to see the back of Arsene and Gazidis
In Arsene we rust indeed
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17-Oct-2011 16:31 | | Man United Killer
Yep! Lining the pockets of his substandard kids' with thousand of $$$ when they have barely done enough to deserve it.What do you expect when half the players in club have been substandard kids who will never be fit enough to wear the AFC jersey for most part.Now Wenger is struggling to get rid of them.He has send a bunch of them on loan and pushed to sell a few of them-He will be the last person to know that his so called 'quality' kids are draining the wage structure with no proper contribution to the clubs title ambitions.
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17-Oct-2011 16:36 | | Spectrum
Mean Lean - Perhaps he can't do anything about the wage structure, and he has to work within the limitations the board set. I'm not saying Wenger is to blame for that. I'm saying that the board MUST change the way they have the salary system set up, as it's clearly working to the DETRIMENT of the club, and its progress on the field. Their priority is finances ( read profit ). So the board should be accountable for what is neglect of the team OFF the pitch.
However, Wenger is responsible mostly for the team ON the pitch. And if he has been given the money to spend on doing that, he has an obligation to use the funds to buy the quality we need. For that, it IS his fault. He has been manifestly derelict in his duty on that score. For that he should be sacked alone, in my opinion.That and his myriad of other faults, both tactical and of character, make him ineligible to continue being manager. Especially as this has been going on for YEARS. With this season's fiasco being the latest iteration of it.
Notwithstanding all that he HAS done for us in THE PAST, ( which is a lot, and which I freely acknowledge and thank him for - I was a Wenger fan too, once ) - I can't understand how you can still defend the man. Why can't you separate the past from the present ? What is wrong with saying "Thanks Arsene for all you've done, but we'd like to try something different." - and moving on with a fresh approach under a fresh manager ? Why is that so scary for A.K.B.'s ? If you can't let go of the past,whilst NOT FORGETTING IT, then you're putting the manager AHEAD of the interests of the club.Nothing lasts forever, you'll have to face this situation someday. So why prolong the agony ?
"******************"
P.S. Do you really think I would keep going to all this trouble explaining my views, if I was a "Spuds supporter", as some ignorant fools on here claim ?
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18-Oct-2011 01:08 | | richie - MUk I can't understand your arguement
Wenger doesn't buy players thats common knowledge, apparently Arsene Wenger hates that side of Football, contracts and player negociations aren't his thing, thats why he worked closely with David Dein. DD handled all the business end Wenger the football stuff.
You say it comes as a surprise to you that Wenger doesn't know you have to spend money nowdays if you want to buy quality, but Wenger doesn't hold the purse strings. Its not Wenger who decides how much we can spend on players its now the owner.......... Kroenke. That became clear to everyone this season when the board sold before we bought, even though it was the board that wanted the sales, and Wenger was made to eat humble pie, (remember) when he said he'd gladly let Nasri play out his contract.
Moreover our scouts identify potential buys, Arsene Wenger agree's with the scouts and gives the board (Kroenke) a list of 20 players from 1 to 20 - twenty being the least desirable, that he thinks he could use in our squad and then its out of his hands for fee's contracts and who from the list he ends up with. Sorry but I don't think Americans in general understand our great game. Its a business to them of profit & loss.
Its my belief that Arsene Wenger has tried to build a squad to play in a certain way, the style is a cross between the great fast attacking teams of Germany of the 60's-70's and the total football of Ajax. He's failed to be able to build the team he wants because, since David Dein left he's been given sub-standard tools to work with. Its no coincidence that when Dein left and sold out, the great buys have all but dried up. Arsene and his scouts have always identified young talent early Song being a case in point bought from Bastia in 06 when 20 years old for 1mil. DD did the deal.
What I'm trying to say is since DD's departure in 07 its been left to Kroenke's hot shot board member to buy players, and unlike Dein he ain't got a football background, so who have we bought since 07?
I ain't surprised we've ended up with Tippy Tappy its what happends when you try to mix great players with very average ones. We as a club were heading in the right direction with the Dien Wenger combo but the board put the breaks on and we've had 4years of virtually no buys. All that and I'm not a lover of DD coz I think he sold us out.
But credit where its due he arranged the buys of Henry Pires Vieira Campbell Toure Gilberto Cesc and yes RvP and Song. Since 07 Arsene had to concentraight on youth developement because our buys have all but dried up. Who's fault is that?
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18-Oct-2011 01:32 | | richie - Why am I educating a Spud?
Spud I guess its too much to think that one of Harry's Boys would understand something so fundamentally Arsenal. Our manager doesn't do deals like the one's yours does, thats why he doesn't get nicked every now and then over a dodgy deal he'd pulled in the passed.
AW has never entered into negociations to buy a player full stop!
Its not the continental way, they have a "Director of Football" that does that. Get it though your tiny Spud brain the Arsenal Manager never offered any amount for Gary Cahill because the Arsenal manager follows the European model and after identifiying players he would like he leaves the negociations to the boys in suits.
The club will always say (as a matter of priniple) that funds are available to the manager its called a business model. If they said no funds will be available it sends out the wrong message.
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18-Oct-2011 01:52 | | richie - Your wasting your time ML
I know like you I too tried a Spud educating exercise., but its clearly beyond Spud reasoning. Read below the Spud can't understand that our manager not only doesn't set the wage structure but has to work with whoever the board buys for the club. Im gonna try counting with fingers. Imagine a list of 5 available creative midfield playmakers you'd like? OK The list starts with Snieder and in decending order finishes with Arteta. Thats as far as our manager gets to deciding who to buy, that list he gives to the board. They the board go out with the shopping list and comes back with the goods that they think they the board can afford. Simples.
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18-Oct-2011 02:05 | | Anonymous
richie - Then Wenger and the board should be HONEST enough to tell the fans that "due to financial constraints" the club realistically can't compete for the title for the next few years. We wouldn't be happy about it, but it would be more palatable if they were open about it. Instead we get fed this bullshit from Wenger in particular, that "We were very very close" and that this team has mental strength", that we will only buy players who are better than what we have" ( Chamakh is better than Van Persie ? ), or 'We're ready to challenge for the title", and all the other familiar Wengerisms.
If our expectations have been lowered, then be up front about it more, don't mislead the supporters with false promises that can't be realised. All it does is continually raise our hopes, only to have them dashed on the rocks of mediocrity. Wenger is a spin merchant and a liar. His decision making in recent years leaves much to be desired, and his judgement is noticeably becoming worse. It's long past his time to go.
" ******************"
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18-Oct-2011 03:01 | | Spectrum
Man United Killer - This is the problem when you have a man in charge who is obsessed with building a team in his own image from kids, He is constantly scouring the world looking for what could be the next big thing ( about 80% of which are attackers of course - which fits with his philosophy ), Just about weekly we read that we're scouting, attempting to sign, or are signing, a 15 or 16 year old wonder kid.
Our youth ranks are overflowing to the point where we either have or still have, about twenty kids out on loan at any one time. And still Wenger's obsession continues. When is enough enough ? Most of these kids will not turn out to make the grade. Someone needs to rein Wenger in, but no-one wants to intervene, as he has too much control and influence, which the board have allowed him to acquire due to his past achievements.
" ******************"
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18-Oct-2011 03:36 | | Spectrum
richie - Then how do you account for this ........? ( quote ) " The Arsenal board - who had previously allowed Wenger to control all transfers - plan a more hands-on role during the transfer window." May 17 2011.
Note ; 'Who had PREVIOUSLY ALLOWED Wenger to CONTROL ALL TRANSFERS"
Source article here ( copy and paste address ) : http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/football/news/article/-/9461587/arsenal- board-takes-control-of-transfer-policy-tells-wenger-buy-british/
That clearly states it's the board WHO GAVE Wenger the control he neede to sign who he wants. And he's had this power SINCE HE STARTED with us.
As far as "educating" goes, seems things have changed somewhat since you went to school. ?
" ******************"
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18-Oct-2011 07:33 | | pika
is it written anywhere that wenger has to win the title while in transition?
And he's had this power SINCE HE STARTED with us.
us? ...lol...

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18-Oct-2011 08:53 | | richie - Get real Spectrum Spud
It would also be finacially suicidal to announce that we aren't in a position to challenge for the title even though its as plain as the nose on your man Harry the twitches face. Its also plain that 5th colomnists will try everything trick in their "arsenal" to undermine our manager who given the resources made available to him in recent years has done a remarkable job to keep us competitive.
"YAASID"
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18-Oct-2011 09:11 | | richie - It all comes from paper talk Spud
Errrrr hello Spud "Its called newspaper talk" they're in the business of selling news papers. They will and often do print anything to sell a newspaper, plus several Journo's have an agenda against us. Especially the more shall we say xenophobic journo. To my knowledge Arsene Wenger has never entered into negociations to buy a player! In fact in the days when Dein was there I believe it was in his contract that he was purposely excluded him from doing just that. He once gave an interview were he said he "Hated" that side of the football, he said something along the lines of he didn't even like the idea of buying and selling people. Listen to what our Ex players who are still at the club say they are the insiders. They say Wenger doesn't do any transfer deals. Unlike British managers Wenger follows the continental system where managers are coaches. The director of football buy players and does contracts.
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18-Oct-2011 12:13 | | Spectrum
pika - And if you had to insert a key performance indicator into his contract during this ( never ending ) "transitional" period, how long should he be given to see if it actually works ?
But of course A.K.B.'s don't believe in setting benchmarks or deadlines of any kind. Just let Wenger's crazy experimental project run wild, and see where it takes us. He's the greatest after all, can do no wrong, is not to be questioned, EVER. Let's keep trusting him, even if it takes till he retires ( we'll even let him decide when he'll do that, too ).
Hey, maybe another four year extension, even if we're still mid table by then ? No problem. If we have no ambitions, we can never be disappointed, can we ? But we'll still have Uncle Arsene to look up to, and take care of us.
Carry on with your fantasies.
" ******************"
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