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Written by Brian Covert

Published: Wednesday, 30 November 2011 22:41

Technology really is a terrific thing. Especially when it involves PVR and your favourite football team.

Not only does one get to watch Arsenal whenever one fancies but one also gets to pick and probe the latest fixture with the hindsight of 20/20. It really is a beautiful thing. And what’s further interesting is the team’s performance is rarely what you thought on first impressions; never quite as dominant as you first thought when they won nor quite as poor when they didn’t get the full three points.

This brings me to our 1-1 draw versus Fulham this past Saturday. It seemed quite apparent, when watching the game that the team was languid, tired, absent of ideas after a trying mid-week win over Dortmund.

But on second viewing, a different opinion took hold, one that I was watching a dominant and creative side that, if it weren’t for a committed defensive performance and some timely goalkeeping(not the first time a goalie rumored to be headed our way managed to keep us from three points), would have comfortably taken the spoils.

So with this idea of hindsight firm in mind, I looked at last year’s corresponding fixture to get a perspective of where this team is currently. As coincidence would have it, this fixture was played around this time last year and despite a different result (a 2-1 result for the Arsenal that put them top of the league) one could argue this year’s result was a more impressive.

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Written by Scott Richardson

Published: Wednesday, 30 November 2011 04:24

A lot can be said about the two teams leading up to this game, one team that develops talent and provides entertaining football and the other that buys talent and provides entertaining football. After todays game I stand a proud Gooner at the fact our fringe and young players stood toe to toe with a decent City side filled with expensive buys in Nasri, Dzeko, Aguero and not to forget Kolo Toure. It was clear that the better team lost but in football all that matters is scoring one more than your opponent and that’s what City did.

Same Old City?

To be fair to City they actually came down to the Emirates and didn’t park the bus in front of goal. The two previous games ended in 0-0 draws where only we were willing to attack. However, with City only managing two shots on target it was Arsenal who were fuelling the attacks all game against an inspired Pantilimon who managed to keep our Park’s classy shot at the beginning and also kept out a couple of powerful hits by the wonderful Chamberlain.

Throughout the game I felt Arsenal were better at defending than attacking, even having more chances, because the defence were brilliant at keeping City outside our area. The whole back four were solid throughout, even Squillaci saved himself from any embarrassment and did himself justice if looking for a move away in January. Koscielny had a brilliant game once again which shows to me he’ll be Vermaelen’s best partner at the centre of defence. The young Miquel looked comfortably out of position stopping Johnson on numerous occasions.

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Written by Arsenal Latest

Published: Tuesday, 29 November 2011 05:52

I know I’m a few days late, but I didn’t realize a truly unique quality of Arsenal’s starting line-up last Saturday versus Fulham until I was sifting through individual player ratings.  During the Wenger era, this quality has been as much of a fabric of Arsenal Football Club as the cannon.

What do the following nations have in common:  Poland, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Spain, Wales, England, Netherlands, and the Ivory Coast.

Eleven players pulled on Arsenal’s iconic red and white jersey on Saturday.  All eleven players were from eleven different countries!  If there ever was one, this was a team that exemplified the global vision of Monsieur Wenger.

Famously, in the 2006 Champions League draw between Spain’s Real Madrid and Arsenal, two English players started… both wore the all-white of Los Merengues (Beckham and Woodgate).  I am unsure of whether last Saturday was the first time that Arsenal (or any team) has fielded a starting line-up consisting of eleven different nationalities, but I will nonetheless take this as an opportunity to highlight the ‘Arsenal Diaspora.’

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Written by Aasim Hashim

Published: Thursday, 24 November 2011 05:16

There is no doubt that Arsenal are in a sensational form. Considering how they were written off at the beginning of the year, the current squad is definitely proving a lot of people wrong right now. Arsenal pushed their unbeaten run to 9 games after beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 at the Emirates.  Yet another brace for Robin van Persie helped Arsenal qualify for the next round of Champions League and finish on top of group F with one game remaining.

One man team?

Robin van Persie added two more goals to his already impressive tally in 2011. He now has 33 goals for 30 games after scoring both goals for Arsenal tonight. Many football fans, currently believe that we are a “one man” team since Robin is in such a fine scoring form. Although he is scoring a lot of goals currently, I don’t think that that the play of the rest of can be underestimated. Van Persie spoke about the importance of assists that the rest of the team is giving. Many of the goals that Robin is scoring right now have to do with the way that Arsenal as a team are playing. On many occasions it is Walcott, with his improved play, crossing in balls that find Robin and he is able to finish them. Of course van Persie has to put the final touches on the ball, but the quality of crosses that he is receiving makes it a whole lot easier for van Persie to finish.

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