Arsenal-Mania

Player of the season, Champions League final and Nasri

By Joël Che on Sunday, May 25, 2008

Manchester United have done the Double but any talk of being the best team ever or the best team in the world is widely off the mark. How wide? Well they won the championship by a one game advantage from two challengers (and a lot of help from referees).

They won the Champions League on penalties after 120 minutes where they failed to dominate their opponents for more than 45 of those minutes.

However, as far as both competitions are concerned, it is important to say that they deserved it. They have been positive all season, they go into games to win and they have never been negative even during difficult periods. Manchester United played certain components of Arsenal football better than Arsenal this season.

For sheer positivity alone, they deserved it. As Arsenal fans, we are advocates of positive football and we are often frustrated by teams who have a negative approach. Football is frustrated by those teams too. If it was down to me, teams would get 0 points for a loss and 0 points for a draw of less than 2 goals. They would get 1 point for a draw of two or more goals and 3 points for a win. On that system, United would have had an even better points advantage. So well done to them.

Chelsea have a lot of experience but no shape and no balance. That's what happens when you have too much money, you buy everyone you want and find that it becomes a problem to play all of them in a balanced way.

Michael Essien's versatility has been used to lose two important games this year. In the African Nations cup semi-finals, a Ghanian central defender was suspended. Essien was put at centre-back and Ghana lost. Had Essien played in midfield, he would have protected the make-shift back four better and would have been so much more dangerous offensively that Ghana would have won.

In the Champions League final, he was played at right-back. In midfield, he would have been so much more dangerous and United would not have had the joy they had in the first half. That's what happens when coaches have choices. Choices can sometimes lead you to do the wrong thing, especially with versatile players.

The airwaves are full of talk that Arsenal lost the championship due to lack of experience. Sometimes, I feel football punditry is lazy. Most pundits look at obvious stuff and repeat what each other say. I believe the experience factor has been over-rated. Ever since Juventus were beaten by Arsenal, I was convinced that there is something about modern football that requires raw, aggressive and athletic youth. I wrote an article about it here.

The great players of this season with a few exceptions are under 24. In Arsenal's own squad, our best players were Gaël Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Francesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini. United and Liverpool you have Rooney, Ronaldo, Anderson, Carrick, Torres and the exceptions of Gerrard, Ferdinand, etc. who are older. Modern football is about pace, skill and movement and that package is easier gotten in youth.

Experienced players are important. Very important indeed! But their importance is for stability and poise. They are about exploiting mistakes better like Drogba and keeping clean sheets like Terry and Ferdinand. There are no players over 28 that will give you what Ronaldo, Messi, Clichy, Flamini, et. al give you. Experienced players give you what Fabregas and Gerrard give you so they are important but their importance is creating a stable structure for younger players to exploit.

Chelsea are a vastly experienced team. That makes them difficult to beat but it does not make it easier for them to beat others. A more youthful Makelele, Ballack and Malouda would probably have beaten United just like a more youthful Gattusso, Pirlo, Inzaghi and Maldini would probably have beaten Arsenal.

As far as I am concerned, should Wenger sign a 20-year-old Nasri to replace a 27-year-old Hleb, I would have no problems with that.

A friend of mine has been raving about Nasri for two years. He thinks Nasri is more like Cristiano Ronaldo than Robert Píres. I checked out Nasri on YouTube. Everybody looks good on YouTube. YouTube is like a mixed tape. You don't make a mixed tape of bad songs.

I tend to agree that he is more like Ronaldo because he has a good dribble, he is fast, energetic and very direct. Like Ronaldo, he will probably have a rotten first season in the Premier League should he join. It he takes it badly, he will end up more like José Antonio Reyes than Ronaldo.

But there is one thing about Nasri that may help him very much if he were playing in England. He has a Wayne Rooney characteristic in that he doesn't need to dribble you cleanly like Ronaldo or Messi in order to get past. If you win the ball or if the ball spills, he fights for it and tries to bulldoze his way. That would be more important than his dribbling in the first year should he come here.

In a way, I think Arsenal need a little more carelessness of youth upfront more than they need old heads. More Theo Walcotts with more confidence and slightly more rounded. We know Fabregas can pass the ball and we know we have had very few players trying to get in on the pass early enough or running early enough and taking a chance.

Youthful players will make those runs early and take those chances. It will make life easier for Clichy and Sagna because the decision on whether to go forward will be made early and decisively so they can defend better by not getting caught up front in meaningless drawn out attacks.

Lastly, my player of the season. I have been meticulously scoring players throughout the season based on positivity (how they can instigate momentum for attacks), team play (includes covering and defending), mentality (how awake they are in each game) and a subjective factor (just how I feel about them).

Sagna was top until the game he got injured. Fabregas was second, Clichy was third and Flamini fourth. After 10 games, Hleb was top and in January, Adebayor was third.

On the last day of the season Clichy won my player of the season with Sagna in second place. Fabregas and Flamini third and fourth. You will not believe who came in just below Almunia, Adebayor and Hleb in 8th place above Gallas, Touré, Walcott and Bendtner.

It was Emmanuel Eboue!

User Comments

28

Dee

Posted on 30 May, 2008 at 10:01 AM - Reply

Here is my 2 cents on the Eboue debate. Yes he is better at right back and not a midfielder but he was definitely worth his place this year. If you remember the last couple of seasons, Arsenal was considered soft and too easy to intimidated. This season Eboue and Flamini gave us muscle in midfield, and thats why teams like Bolton, Blackburn,Sunderland couldn't push us around this time. I believe Wenger puts him in there specifically to scare the opposition. For me Bendtner was the worst thing this season, al attitude and no product. He is the most un Arsenal player. We need another high quality striker and a playmaker to stand in for Cesc because when Fabregas doesn't play or has an off day our football definitely is not Cescy

27

icharosiky

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 02:18 PM - Reply

Good Comments Joel. I like the article. however, I diagree totally your ranking of Adebayor before Wallcot and Bendter. They were not given as many games as Adebayor who i believe was quite poor in finishing. But i hope as he sharpens his finishing skills next season.

26

Goonerkay

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 12:06 PM - Reply

Quite funny how fans get amnesia when it comes to a footballer. Dnt get me wrong eboue hasn't been anywhere near his best this season and his finishing is probably terrible but like the boss said, people need to lay off him, its more of his contributuion to the team than anything else. Have you guys forgotten his first season so quick? Everyone complains about player loyalty, but yet no one seems to breathe a word about fan loyalty to players. In eboue's first season, all he got were praises now everyone wants his head?! We might as well tell sagna that we are gonna hate him in 2 seasons so he should get set.

25

GunnersdaBest

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 09:55 AM - Reply

I think Yaya Toure would be a good purchase to replace flamini

24

Aussie Fan

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 05:20 AM - Reply

I Told you all Flamini was a done deal a long time ago, he was a dog and had one good season and had a Jerry Macguire moment in showing him the money... enuff talk about that piece of rubbish, and no we don't need a replacement for Flamini we already have 2/3 players in waiting with the same amount of experience and in my opinion are more well rounded Footballers!! We have the best 2 candidates in Diaby and Song both are internationals, tall timbers tackle hard and distribute well, Song was player of ANC and Diaby if he escapes serious injuries is shaping up to be a superstar!! We also have the Brazilian Denilson but he can cover Cesc position as well as he can cover Flamini he is bit lighter but has technique and fight in him!! We also have Merida who i believe is just about ripe for the picking and then that young Englishman Wilkshire or whatever his name is, he is Bergkamp to the P, He might only be 17 but he could very well step up next year!! The only player i would be coveting is Ben Arfa & Etoo Gilberto looks set to make a transition to CD!! eBOUE Will probablly battle it out with Sagna next year for the right back spot i think he showed he lacks the cutting edge to play right wing Ben Arfa and Walcott and Rocisky have that position well covered!! We probablly need a natural left footer for the left wing and then we will have a well balanced squad... In my opinion we are in no dire straights to sign any big names, and believe Wenger is on the Verge on what could be the Greatest team ever!!

23

Harvey

Posted on 26 May, 2008 at 06:03 PM - Reply

Eboue is the ultimate scapegoat.. He is actually very handy imo!

22

hodulay

Posted on 26 May, 2008 at 02:57 PM - Reply

wow, its been a crazy season and i quite agree with the article. Departments i think we need to solidify are buying an 'out-and-out' striker like a Martins, 2 good midfielders (attacking and defensive midfielders separately) and 2 defenders (a good centreback and a good replacement for Clichy).
I believe if these angles are sorted out.....Arsenal will be the Canon firing Nuclear cannon balls next season.
Eboue, should to my opinion be on the bench waiting for Sagna to get injured becos he is not creative on the righht wing.....he doesn't dribble 1 on 1, his crosses are 60% accurate and he doesn't charge at defenders tocreate fear in them. I beleive he'll be better as a defender or a defensive mid-fielder that stays behind the half-line.
This season was perfect if not for injuries that couldn't be replaced so i would want professor wenger to get ua astrong bench with the team he already has becos without that......we'lll be moaning like this, this same time next year

21

Pozdny

Posted on 26 May, 2008 at 12:55 PM - Reply

Manchester United did not win with playing beautiful football. Just look at the Barcelona game, home and away. That's the ugliest game i've seen all season! They did not even chased the ball when Barcelona were passing around their penalty box!!!

20

Trickykid

Posted on 26 May, 2008 at 11:21 AM - Reply

Fantastic read and well thought out, better than alot of stuff i read in so called professional press

19

footiefreak

Posted on 26 May, 2008 at 09:11 AM - Reply

nice article...explained the season

18

A Rivera

Posted on 26 May, 2008 at 07:34 AM - Reply

What do you think of the other possible transfers and who would you prefer to have replace Flamini?

17

karheng

Posted on 26 May, 2008 at 05:11 AM - Reply

You put the messy thoughts in my head into a well written article. Thank you!

I also do believe that Nasri will outscore Hleb's number of goals for Arsenal easily if he joins us.

16

seyi black

Posted on 26 May, 2008 at 04:15 AM - Reply

Eboue? did he play this season?

15

Nadir

Posted on 26 May, 2008 at 03:48 AM - Reply

This is so far the best article ive read on arsenal-mania....altho in team eboue would have finished close to bottom even though i believe he will be stepping up for next season

14

BOY BETTER KNOW......

Posted on 26 May, 2008 at 01:33 AM - Reply

All this Nasri hype is getting out of hand untill arsenal.com post it im not getting to happy about that.Anyway why does everyone seem to think he's going to be the saviour to arsenal for me Gallas and toure need to have a re- think and start gelling together otherwise there is no point in getting all these attacking options in.The departure of Hleb means more uncertainty for fabregas and co the likes of them seeing hleb leaving indicates trouble.Its all well and good signing this so called next zidane but wenger needs to reasure cesc and the rest that we will be champions next season and not losers again.For me personally i dont think they will do anything next season i just can't see how they will compete with man-u and the other mob i also think it will be liverpools time within the next 2 years so arsenal will be fighting another battle there.Arsenals record against the top four has been poor this season compared to the other previous ones, you need to at least be winning your home games against them and at least be getting something away from them otherwise it is not good enough.The other worry i have is the second season sydrome for backary sagna i suppose we will just have to wait and see on that one otherwise all you can say about the guy is that he has a very good first season for arsenal bar the injury he gained at chelsea which could not be helped.EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR please,please can someone tell me that this guy is going to get better with his finishing ability otherwise it is just pointless.Yes he has scored 20 plus goals but he also could of had a lot more if he had been clinical enough

13

best team

Posted on 26 May, 2008 at 01:10 AM - Reply

we have got one of the best left backs in the world, one of the best centre midfielders in the world, two of the best strikers in the world and one of the best right backs in the world. we need to buy a keeper(akinfeev or frey). Arsenal are clearly going to be the best team in the world in the future.

12

aaron

Posted on 26 May, 2008 at 01:01 AM - Reply

Eboue is a great player, and i will never forget the dive he did that won us the free kick in the champions league final that led to the goal that nearly won it for us, but im affrid to say, if we are gunna win the league next year, he cannot play right mid. He wouldnt get in man u's team or chealse, so y does he get in arsenals. Theos time to sshine

11

k Abdi

Posted on 26 May, 2008 at 12:37 AM - Reply

The article was interesting about the aspect of youth being more important in this day and age rather than experience and also I disagree about clichy being number 1, i think its sagna even though he got injured. He was more consistant for every game he played compared to clichy.

10

bullshit

Posted on 26 May, 2008 at 12:24 AM - Reply

your youtube comment is quite ironic given that you point about nasri probably stems from the video on youtube in which he does a great run and then has to fight at the end when he reaches the box.

I watch nasri and your point about his doggedness is rubbish

9

thegame24

Posted on 25 May, 2008 at 10:49 PM - Reply

I agree with alot there but positive united?

In all their big games when they knew they were second best they played behind the ball.

8

William Rode

Posted on 25 May, 2008 at 09:28 PM - Reply

I feel Eboue are getting to much critics, he's a very, very good defensive player. In my opinion he's a right back, not a right midfielder, but....Wenger knows!

7

jim

Posted on 25 May, 2008 at 08:44 PM - Reply

Totally, convinced on Eboue, Arsene knows what he was doing when playing him, if Walcott played instead of him Toure would have moved by now as he would have conceded countless goals

6

JACK CORNES

Posted on 25 May, 2008 at 08:39 PM - Reply

A well written article, i think that utd's championship glory is a credit to them but as Che says they have had referees on their side in some games and to be quite honest this certainly hasn't been one of their vintage seasons, i mean i think the reasons we lost out on the premier league are because i think mr Da Silva's leg break had an affect on the team in a couple of the games after the birmingham game and i don't think our squad, as brilliant as it is, did not have enough depth, which is one thing utd had, they could take Giggs off and put Nani on or they could rest Ronaldo and play someone else whereas we would have an injury and we couldn't find a suitable replacement, so if utd had an injured player like Rooney he could be replaced by Saha or Park, whereas we lost both Eduardo and Mr Van Persie in certain stages of the season so i think utd have that advantage over us, as do Chelsea, at the moment but to win a championship and try and fight on all four fronts over a long season, you need that depth within your squad, so that if a player gets injured for a substantial amount of time they can bring someone else off the bench with the same qualities as that player and if that player got injured they could replace that player with a player who can play in that posistion. I mean we did replace Eduardo with Mr Bentder but i think Eduardo was a bit more experienced than Nicklas and was more prolific than Nicklas, bur Nicklas was brilliant for us and he did very well for us last season so it is a credit to his skill as a footballer.

5

GWelch

Posted on 25 May, 2008 at 08:30 PM - Reply

IMO, Eboue was at the back of the list for player of the season, based on the fact I had really high expectations for him this season. Last season he was right near the top and I personally think he has under achived this year, I can recall countless moments this season where I have seen him make (IMO) so many mistakes. Still, 8th is not top and I can well reason with that!!

All the way with Clichy, his name will be on my back next season!

BTW nice Article.

4

Yusuf

Posted on 25 May, 2008 at 07:59 PM - Reply

I have been looking forward to your article for quite some time and this was as good an article as ever by you, Joel. Keep it up. You attempt to insinuate in the opening paragraph that United's not the greatest side in the world. Unfortunately, they are. However, Arsenal have the best starting 11 - with Flamini and Hleb anyway, and a fit RvP and Rosicky. I like your point about young, athletic forwards. That would be ideal with Clichy/Sagna on the flanks and Flamini's replacement, hopefully a guy that can play the Makalele role, in Midfield with Fab feeding them continuously. Arsenal will be as entertaining as ever next season, which is what matters for us fans, innit?

3

benattakora

Posted on 25 May, 2008 at 06:24 PM - Reply

beautiful piece, very arsenalike. clichy bn fantastic but was thinking ade shd be there or at least there abouts. eboue? not convinced, at least not on the evidence of what we saw from him this campaign

2

Jason

Posted on 25 May, 2008 at 05:50 PM - Reply

Tend to agree with a lot of what you say especially the Reyes comparison. I hope Nasri will be given time to settle and I'm pleased a young fireball has been signed rather than an older 'big name' with little to prove. Agreed that Clichy has had a fine season and Sagna was a revelation until his injury but Fabregas is a different class to the full backs. Cesc carries the whole team in a Viera - Adams way that is unbelieveable for one so young. He cares about the club, the fans and his manager and his play is outstanding, he is without doubt our player of the year. Finally, I agree that Eboue had a poor season but Gallas (as captain) was the biggest let down. Would be interested in your latest thoughts on Senderos and Almunia - I feel both have a future but neither as starters. Arsene knows you know

1

K Haydon

Posted on 25 May, 2008 at 04:37 PM - Reply

Well written, I have not read a more circumspect article in quite some time, some good points made (especially YouTube reviews). Hope your're right about Nasri, but still not convinced about Eboue.