It's getting harder and harder to write positive match reports watching Arsenal performances this season!
Our articles are put together based on the opinions and comments of our fans and, to be quite frank, a lot of what we get sent is mostly unprintable.
I will start this match report in my usual optimistic way, trying to gloss over the errors and paint The Gunners in a positive light.
The team are starting to gel, individual players are just not up to standard, but others are starting to realise that they are at the biggest and best team in London and they need to take their jobs seriously.
Goalkeepers rarely win games, unless they take a penalty, so it is re-assuring to see that our current man between the sticks, Sneezy as we call him, is really taking his job seriously and putting in a good shift every game. Yes he makes positional mistakes, and he has the odd howler, but he is fast becoming the assured safe-handed goalie that we have been sadly missing these last few years.
Robin van Persie? Still an absolute legend in the making, a constant pest, always looking to score, denied by the woodwork, it's a pleasure to watch him play and see how he is so passionate about the club and how much it hurts him to lose or drop points. He cannot do it all and, as his only criticism, he can sometimes have a little lost wander about not really engaging with his team-mates, but then that's more to do with other players not being up to his majestic standard. It just goes to show, when he is injury free, he is the best in The Premiership, possibly Europe as well.
Well done Theo Walcott, at last you are showing you have got balls as well as pace! I, along with many others, have been one of your harshest critics and you are responding to our concerns. Your finishing will come, you will always miss sitters, Ian Wright was absolutely famous for have 'bleak' patches but eventually, the goals start rolling in. What impresses me most is the change in attitude and effort, I hate seeing players standing around waiting for the ball, good attackers need vision, the ability so see a gap and make themselves available and Theo is getting it right, each time the ball comes his way, two or three defenders are on him straight away and that is a mark of how good and feared he is becoming. Keep it up Theo, we need more of the same, and if you could do a bit of shooting practice, we'd appreciate it ;-)
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: keep rampaging away kid as it is so refreshing to have a player who makes the crowd buzz. You can only learn by your mistakes, and we know you will make many, but to be frank, if you carry on showing the enthusiasm and boundless energy you are displaying at the moment, you are guaranteed a big place in every Gooners heart.
Welcome back Sagna, we have really missed you, you are ring rusty and not match fit but at least you know how to play in defence and that is what has been missing in a lot of games. Kosi, you had a few bobbles and clangers but you are still heading in the right direction, Thomas/Per? We think you are basically getting it right, maybe you just need to practice talking to each other a bit more. We can't say it's a 'solid' defence, but at least, with a little luck, we are not leaking silly goals as much as we used to.
Arteta, Ramsey, Song: definately no lack of passion, but do you believe in yourselves? All three are very talented, when they want to be. We have seen Alex completely dominate games, but it doesn't happen enough. We are delighted with the return of Aaron, and his quality shines through, it's just, he lacks a bit of sparkle sometimes and Mikel? We used to let you off for having big boots to fill, but the honeymoon period is well and truly over, a little bit more effort please, when he is 'in-the-game' he is brilliant but sometimes he looks like the little lost Arsenal sheep.
Over all, it was definately two points dropped, AW's job is safe, it's more a question of does he want to stay? The obvious answer we want to hear is 'Yes', but we can't help feeling that he doesn't seem capable of squeezing much more out of the club with it's current financial restrictions.
p.s. our sub, that Henry bloke...pure bloody class, gives away free-kicks because he's 'slow', according to The BBC? Had a good laugh at the Beeb after that comment...what do they know about football? Thierry, you are a legend, it's a shame you can't stay :-) |