Time for Arsenal to recover from early disaster!

Written by Joel Che on Monday, August 25, 2008

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
23 Aug	3:00 PM	P	Fulham (A)	0	1	Lost

Arsenal were supposed to win their first nine games of the season while their players gelled so that Arsène Wenger could figure out how to set up the team for the tough season. But we are losing games while still trying to figure how we will organise. That is quite worrying. We have to hope that this is a wake-up call. In adversity, it is very important for the team to focus hard and survive this unstable patch.

The Emmanuel Eboue / Denilson pairing was rubbish. It has always been rubbish but it made sense at home with Eboue being more experienced than Aaron Ramsey. But why the hell play that pairing away from home especially when Alexandre Song is available? Why play Samir Nasri and Theo Walcott away from home? Only Wenger can answer that.

That being said, Eboue featured as one of the better players in the game. It is a tough day when Eboue is one of the better players just for the fact that he could actually hold the ball for more than 2 seconds and run into the area when he moved to the right.

Walcott should go out on-loan or only be used as a sub away from home especially. Eboue should play wide away from home. I hope Eboue has proven some of his critics wrong.

Nasri makes Gaël Clichy work way too hard. Nasri makes Clichy do all the running in attacking and all the running in defending. Walcott makes Bacary Sagna work too hard. If Sagna and Clichy keep working that hard they will burn out and get injuries. Arsenal suffered last season because our full backs were required in every single attack and got caught out in every counter attack or got tired and lost focus. Clichy and Sagna must not work as hard for 90 minutes like they did last season. We should never play Nasri and Walcott together – especially away from home.

Nicklas Bendtner is Arsenal's most lethal weapon in a match where we are struggling to find football rhythm. He should therefore come in earlier in those games.

Two years ago, I wrote here that Kolo Touré should be moved to midfield. By last season, I realised Touré had passed the point where he could play in midfield. Touré simply does not have the vision and knowledge to play in a defensive midfield position.

Wenger has said there are three things about a player – a player he would buy. There is technique, motivation and a football brain. Touré has survived on his technique, motivation and athleticism. He doesn't have enough of a football brain to play in defensive midfield – it's not about athleticism, power and recovery pace. It is about positioning, tempo dictating and intelligent passing.

Against West Brom, Touré came at right-back and looked embarrassing for 10 mins and it is becoming clear that he is an awful partner for William Gallas. Johan Djourou, Philippe Senderos and Alex Song have all proven to be better partners for Gallas. Djourou can start playing – he looks ready. One person that is even more ready is Song.

Song played the Olympics at centre-back against a good Brazil team alongside Andre Bikey from Reading. He had a fanstastic game and kept a clean sheet until 101 minutes playing with 10 men since the 53rd minute against Dunga's Brazil and Ronaldinho. Remember this was no silly Brazilian team, it was a team that Denilson could not make!

Song was one of Arsenal's best players at Fulham. A player that played 15 mins was better than most of the team. Song has grown beyond proportion. He is stable, cool, strong and poised. Against FC Twente – Song should play either at centre-back or defensive midfield.

Arsenal need to get over Fulham very quickly but also be warned that it will not be easy this season. Lack desire in one game and you're toast. I still believe Arsenal are good enough to win the title without any more signings.

If you want to know what I think of Alex Song, here is an excerpt of what I wrote last season here:

Alex Song affects Arsenal's entire game in a positive way. I first noticed this at Old Trafford and then again last night against Derby.

Arsenal's biggest problem this season has been movement especially in the final third. Arsenal tend to crowd narrow outside the box and pass around. When Song plays at centre back, he tends to bring the ball forward and usually very directly into the central midfield. Arsenal tend to use Sagna and //Clichy// as outlets but Song brings the ball to midfield himself.

When this happens, midfielders move higher up as he approaches so they are not too close to each other. Then as the midfielders move higher up in the central area, they get close to the forwards who then move away to the sides to give each other space. This happens while Song is still on the ball.

It basically forces Arsenal to move a little bit more interestingly than they are used to and helps our fluidity. He creates good starting positions for everyone just by moving forward centrally rather than having Clichy and Sagna come out and expose the back four while everyone gathers centrally waiting for the ball that we never cross anyway so we just end up ping-ponging around the box.

User Comments

40

adebayor

Posted on 29 Aug, 2008 at 12:26 AM - Reply

I hope my contribution gets read by wenger.walcott is not a winger he is a striker.I hope wenger gets dat he is a direct player always rnning straight at people.wenger worries to much about his height but with adebayor no problem.he is better as a striker.watch him anytime he gets to central positions or being played as a striker.his got pace not swerve

39

jp20

Posted on 28 Aug, 2008 at 11:14 AM - Reply

toure can never be a midfielder,that was always obvious,

please plug in the hole at midfield and please buy at least a couple of big players in terms of experience and talent,silvestre wont do.

i dont think arsenal can win the epl bcos they'll have to stay really focused,but i'm looking at the champs league,

if we play well at the back and plug the hole in midfield,i think we got enough talent forward to go all the way,and nicky is good so please wengie give him more chances.

38

Amaldur

Posted on 28 Aug, 2008 at 06:55 AM - Reply

There are many responses here saying it's too early to make a judgment, that we've only lost one game. My sense is that people aren't judging on one game they're judging based on the quality of the squad. The results of the first two games bear out the perception that the squad just isn't good enough. They're too inexperienced, lacking in top talent and injury-prone. If one is expecting another battle for third or fourth, then this squad is probably good enough to muster that result. If they expect a challenge to Chelsea or Man United, there's no way that's going to happen. Man United lost their first game but just look at their squad and you realize there is no need for concern. It's not that we lost a game, it's that our squad just isn't that good.

37

raszmatazz

Posted on 28 Aug, 2008 at 01:23 AM - Reply

it was actually a disaster game against fulham 2 be honest.. please dont ever pair eboue n denilson in central mid. both r not creative enuff to bring the ball forward. they play the same role as defensive mid. they seems out of idea on how to bring up the ball forward.. thats y i miss alex hleb so bad, hes the better dribbler than any of those gunners and we'll need sum1 like that to create the flow of the game.......

36

Jimbo

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 11:18 PM - Reply

well gunners just rocked fc twente aint seen the game yet but apparently walcott was ace, looks like he is back in form

35

Cesc=Class

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 07:51 PM - Reply

its amazing how many different combinations all the people on the forum are suggesting. Tourre in midfield...no Song...Rosicky...no Song in CD..no RvP at left wing...AND SO FORTH. PROVES ONE THING TO ME. THE SQUAD HAS DEPTH. and lots of it too. all we need (and all football champions need) is goals. goals. goals. goals. goals. goals. goals. goals. 30 fom Ade, 20+ from RvP 15 Big Ben 10 each from Eduardo, Rosicky, Cesc and Nasri. 5 each from Theo,Vela and 10 from all of defence and we have a total of 125+ goals. goals. goals. go0als. depth we have maybe need just a tad more experience.

34

MileM

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 07:34 PM - Reply

I here people here say this team is rubbish, but isn't it 85% the same team that dominated PL till February last term? Wenger said a couple of years ago that he needed 1-2 more seasons to deliver with his young guns, and last year he showed that his prediction was right, we really showed quality.

About to deliver, what do arsenal do? we give away not only our first choice holding midfielder, which was a proven super asset of the team, we also make sure his back-up feels unwanted enough to move elswere even when obvious he would again become first choice DM. This is so bad management it almost makes me rip my head off in frustration...

How on earth could we tell Flamini last term, when wanting a contract, that he needs to prove himself first? How naive and utterly arrogant.

I am sure Wenger feels really bad about spending £10M+ on a player not even as god as any of the ones we lost for nothing this summer, and to save face prefers to find the resources to replace them within his troups.

that would however meen another 1-2 seasons of learning rather than winning, which is not acceptable, by then Fabregas will have tired of keeping the team in top 4 just as Henry once did.

We need a classy DM and we need him now. if AW really thinks we have somebody almost ready, get an experienced DM to make sure we don't suffer until he is.

-Gunners need proper fire power to blast

33

kiraly

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 07:10 PM - Reply

oh come on man, ur talking as if arsenal are in mid-season and near the bottom of the table. its just been 2 games! 2 games! the team will find their feet against the toon, they were very shakey vs. cov last night, they were leaking goals worse than the air conditioning systems in budapest. have a little faith in the players as they will come good esp. king kolo

32

Kaikai

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 05:18 PM - Reply

Some good points in this article, but most of it is just plain and simple bull. Angree with your point about Song, but your attack on Toure is not justified.
Lighten up man, we`ve only lost one game. Lets face it, this team was never in your wildest dreams going to be the Invincibles 2.

WE ARE THE ARSENAL!

31

christTaylor80

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 04:29 PM - Reply

Wait up, as someone said earlier,its a bit... er, early to be making definite judgements. Same as it has been recently, if we get a group of injuries we are in trouble. There are only 2 teams who can soak up injuries and still compete at a high level in the Premiership, Man Utd and Chelsea. Even then they can have issues with key players missing. Unfortunately for Arsenal we sell our best players too often, so rarely make the jump up in quality that we should do. We need to get Song in CM, or dare I say CB (drop Gallas, wouldn't happen). Song is a ready made replacement for Flamini. Nasri looks good, but may struggle away. Walcott can be effective, but is one dimensional and doesn't strike me as a natural footballer, I think Vea could be better. Get Cesc, Rosicky and Eduardo back and we will be fine. As long as Arsene is prepared to play Nasri or Rosicky CM if Cesc can't play we will be ok...still need another CM though.

30

OsloGooner

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 04:09 PM - Reply

I agree on Song, he is a much better passer than toure and contrary to belief he is good in the air as well.. at least much better than toure that just barges in and concedes silly free-kicks, there are plenty of exammples of not-tall centre backs that have been good in the air: passarella, ayala, puyol, ramos etc. eboue should only play right back, a position where he is actually quite good in a gary neville (never thought i'd say this!) sort of way.

how about rosicky as defensive mid, in a pirlo role, freeing fab to roam offensively, he definitively has the brains and passing to play there...

29

adayilo sketches

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 02:57 PM - Reply

wenger should stop starting walcott and instead pair up adebayor with carlos vela, Rvp and nasri on the left and right flanks of midfield song on the defencive midfield eboue should be out. and the wingers should learn to reduce the pressure on our back wings sagna and clichy. cheers wenger, you only make money by spending stop bieng stingy in the name of debt. when you buy them big you win'em big.......gunner 4 life

28

edward

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 01:46 PM - Reply

the team is utter rubbish. Arsenal will soon lose it massive following in world football due solely to the recalcitrance of one man, ARSENE WENGER.He is destroying the very team he created.

27

Cynique

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 12:03 PM - Reply

learn to write an engaging article

26

Sege Bee

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 11:04 AM - Reply

I'm really not overly bothered that we aren't playing well..Man U ,Liverpool n Chelsea arent playing well either. The only difference is that they are winning games.We simply cant function without fabregas...just see what happens today when we play him against FC Twente.
Our team has no match winners.

25

Fab4

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 08:44 AM - Reply

Go to hell Eboueu and Gallas

24

thunderstorm

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 04:25 AM - Reply

Arsene need to wake up.. this is not a testing area.. this is EPL title team.. not a mid table team.. we are fighting for the title and Europe.. what the heck is inside Arsene head? he is trying to built a less experience team and show the world that he can win the title without experience and young players..

Arsene need to revise his wage and transfer policy.. this is a modern football where people play for money.. if you want a loyalty player.. get a dog..!

i agree that Toure, RvP and Walcott are not in their best form.. and they should not play until they gain their best form.. they should play in reserves or to be loan out.. embrassing to see that a team which suppose to be a title contender, losing to a such team.. Arsene beautiful play doest fit with his current team.. he need 3 years to build that team back.. and fans cannot wait for that 3 years after 3 years silverware..

GO GUNNERS.!!

23

Anurag

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 03:40 AM - Reply

When you are challenging for the tile you need to play dirty if needed and still win. Liverpool, Chelsea and Manure did that and are now already ahead of us. If you watched them play you cant help but wonder how these teams can win while playing below par.

Liverpool were second best to Boro but still won , Chelsea got a early goal from a set peice and Manu had a unlikely scorer in Fletcher. Who is going to do a Stevie G for Arsenal, who can convert the only set piece we have to win us the match. I don't get any answers. van Persie had three free kicks and he wasted each one of them. In a nutshell we lack match winners. We lack players who can hold the team together when the chips are down.

I am sorry to say this but we are becoming a team of Cesc + 10 other players. Without him nothing works.

22

RVPMPC

Posted on 27 Aug, 2008 at 02:55 AM - Reply

I think it's a bit early in the season to jump to any immediate conclusions about any of our players. It is almost customary for our team to be rubbish in the first three games of the season, and I truly believe that we have all the materials to be a truly great team. They just need our patience.

Also, I think you were a little bit harsh on Nasri. I believe that he is already close to Hleb's level last year. And Song didn't start because he was fresh from returning from the Olympics and was probably a bit fatigued.

21

RK

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 11:17 PM - Reply

WTF? This article is so narrow minded if you were actually at the game you would of seen that Nasri was having to come inside as Eboue kept going out wide right where Theo was .
Bendtner does NOTHING! At best he wins headers!
Song was only good because he only had 20/15 mins not to embarress himself.
It was clear what we missed, Cesc Fabregas, we were beaten by Fulhams midfield and lacked someone to control the middle of the park!

20

Glovegun

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 10:16 PM - Reply

you are correct in identifying that neither Gallas nor Toure are the classic centre-half we need, but unfortunately neither is Song or Djourou for that matter. Both, like Toure, rely on speed and power. They dont have the height (Song) or aggression (Djourou) to partner either Gallas or Toure there consistently.

19

Jesper

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 10:10 PM - Reply

Nice to read a postive article with ideas of how Arsenal should/could play. I agree on Song, he is so calm and thats also the reason he looks sloppy when he give the ball away. But give him a chance and extend his contract before he becomes the next flamini.

18

rob

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 10:03 PM - Reply

twente are rubbish so we ought to score 5 at least but even if we do ,there are better teams than twente in the championship so it wont prove anything.

17

diceman1984

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 06:17 PM - Reply

yeah, nice article and nice little blog!

I've seen no rubbish being said about our team yet apart from truthful opinions.

I totally agree with you that Eboue was one of our best players at Fulham, which is a bit worrying.

And Gallas shouldn't be a starting defender for us, he never played to his Chelsea's days.

But we can only get better from here so I'm still optomistic.

C'mon Arsenal!

16

krishna

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 05:03 PM - Reply

you article spot on for everything except about Toure. Kolo toure is the best mobile defender we have,i know his partnership with Gallas doesn't work but that is due to Gallas not Toure. On Saturday we were rubbish especially central midfield. I thought every single player were bad except our two fullbacks. Even Clichy and Sagna looked poor because of Walcott and Nasri. But I can not critisize Nasri, he needs time to adopt.
But I still believe in wenger, we may not win league but we will win c.league this year cheerup watch out for WILSHERE

15

Tango

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 04:36 PM - Reply

Nice article.
I agree that Toure is not so good at reading the game. Toure and Gallas are too simliar to be paired together, tho I rate Gallas more than Toure as a CB.

When Sol was around he used to go for the headers and Toure with his pace and power used to mope up any lose balls. We never replaced Sol properly tho back then Senderos looked quite good.

As for the CM position. Song / Denilson can fill the role but Song is closer to the player required than Denilson. I rather have a new signing who has been doing the job right now. CM is a significant position if you dont get it right then you can not control the game.

Firepower? We really only have one proven stiker thats Ade. Bendtner is a squad player, Eduardo is injuried, RvP I dont count him cos he has never had a full season with us since he joined. Vela and Walcott are 'work in progress'

For attacking midfielders, Nasi looks good but wont impact the team until he adjust to the physically demands of the EPL. Rosicky is injured (back in September). Thats a count of 2 players, Eboue / Walcott are not good enough.

With this squad we wont win the EPL or CL, maybe a cup (FA / Carling).

Basically, we have too many kids playing. The last title winning side had no players under 21 (Lehman, Lauren, Campbell, Toure, Cole, Pires, Veira, Gilberto, Lungberg, Henry, Bergkamp. - even subs werent kids: Edu, Wiltord, Reyes etc..)

Look at our squad now!!!
(sometimes I dont even wana look at the team sheet)

14

uduma

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 02:59 PM - Reply

you ae ight about song.always start johan.i dont care who he combines with.he is the most stable cente bank in epl and he can go forwad.den or song will flourish wt cesc back.andi hope rosie recvers fast.

13

gt

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 02:49 PM - Reply

Wenger should consider playing Song at DM until he finds the right signing (the transfer window is closing...)

Loaning Senderos out is wrong, but you can't deny a young player a chance of playing for AC.

12

David Banks

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 02:49 PM - Reply

If we don't win anything this season, which I don't think we will, Wenger's got to go or someone needs to have a word with him about his stupid useless policy

11

Evans

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 02:31 PM - Reply

I always appreciate your comments, as usual i feel you are spot on. That midfield was crying out for Alex Song at Fulham.

10

JUAN LUIS SANCHEZ( PERU)

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 02:17 PM - Reply

I AM VERY WORRIED WITH THIS TEAM WE ARE OUT . GOOD BYE
CHAMPION
UEFA
PREMIER
CARLING
FA CUP
YOU WILL REMEMBER ME ANOTHER YEAR WITHOUT NOTHING WE NEED AT LEAST 3 MORE PLAYER IM READING THE PAPERS EVERY DAY AND I DONT SEE WENGER IS NOT GOING TO BUY NOBODY . GO OUT MR WENGER GO BACK TO FRANCE

9

Bichwa

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 02:08 PM - Reply

Good analysis, Song will help us this season only if given a chance to deploy his talent. with Toure i'm forced to believe that he should be moved in any other position and Song to be settled at the back with Gallas, or regular defensive midfielder. this will help because he has all ability to change the game at instances that need someone cool and composed. He is real a good young growing Gunner. Please Arsene give him chance to reveal his ability and give the club all that he can offer this season. Song will be more potential than Denilson in the midfield vacuum.

8

Maya

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 12:52 PM - Reply

I'm thinking, Wenger certainly not the best tactical manager around. While his way of building team certainly great, he's been quite poor tactically. In the match against Fulham, i believe we can still win the games given that Wenger substitute Denilson and Van Persie. Denilson lose ball too much and making lots of poor pass, while Van Persie look pity in the front. So i'm thinking, what Arsenal really need is not a new signing of players but an assistant manager which can help Wenger tactically. That Fulham game is just another proof or a poor tactic. Lots more in the past and in the future as well if we don't solve this.

7

phader

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 12:40 PM - Reply

wot happend to the days of pires, wiltord ljumberg and ect???
arsene bort pires and wiltord after the euro's back in 2000 i think...and they were winners at that tournament and they played at the highest level...
few years on, how arsene buys players like ramsey and other youngsters...thats not good enough arsene..
i cant see why he didnt buy david silva....hes young and played at the highest level and knos how to handle himself on a big stage

its not hard now.....we need a left winger...and he fits the arsenal style of play

6

AMR

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 12:17 PM - Reply

i agree with you totally but i think Gallas is bad, Ade needs some shouting, eboue has to organise his running and be little agrresive in pressing,
X-Alonso is a must
Arsenal really neesds a great keeper

5

Justin

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 11:55 AM - Reply

Always been a fan of Song's.
I am still at odds to the thinking of Arsene when he refused to bring Walcott off earlier in the match, or move Nasri further up the pitch.
I was disgusted when Arsene didn't replace Denilson with Song on half time as he should of done. Song would of been the best player on the pitch for us, and he is by far and away the sharpest.
Bringing Bendtner on for walcott wasn't a great move. Bendtner should of replaced Van Persie who was so far out of sorts it was embarassing. His first free kick was embarassing.

Eboue was the best player on the pitch for Arsenal over the 90 minutes. He was defensive and attacking, and moved a heck of a lot better than Denilson, and showed more as a CM than Denilson ever has in that performance. Eboue will be good this season, he just needs to stay in right midfield so Sagna doesn't march up and down the pitch constantly.

It will be good when Arsene gives the Bendtner and Vela partnership a go, and even brings in Wilshere. Those three had an outstanding pre-season and its disgusting that Bendtner doesn't get a proper run. He looked woeful against WBA - he needs to be played further up the pitch. Adebayor is good at holding up the play, but he doesn't bring in Bendtner when he should.

I look forward to a much more positive Arsenal against FC Twente, but we cannot rely on Fabregas winning the match for us.

4

Chimango in Leicester

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 11:47 AM - Reply

As loyal as we are to Arsenal, let us admit it: this team is rubbish. It will be another difficult season of watching this team. We get walloped by the big clubs and the smaller clubs will be emboldened to try anything with us. We just do not have the ability to play at high level. This Arsenal team is very very mediocre.

3

David

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 10:58 AM - Reply

Very good article. Toure is brainless in terms of football sense, so he should just play as a sub to Djourou. Song actually is ready to be a first XI but needs to prove he can partner with Cesc and perform in big games.

2

Gooner kid

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 10:27 AM - Reply

Nice to see someone give eboue some credit even though it was coupled with some childish jibes. One thing you need to understand is, he is a bloody right back but le boss plays him in every position except goalie. Instead of being fustrated at eboue, direct ur fustration elsewhere! he is wearing that shirt and willing to play for the team in whatever position, so if for nothing, respect him for that.
As for the fulham game, we lacked the passion and drive to win the game and that was particularly evident in our fight for second balls, we had none. I think depending on fabregas too much is having its toll on us, we have a jibe @ manure utd abt ronaldo being half their team and the fulham game showed us that apart from clichy and sagna and maybe nasri, we had question marks in every other position. I am not panicing just yet afterall its 36 games left and a lot of drama left till end of season. I for one think as ridiculous as it sounds we can go all the way but we need improvement in key positions.

1

delmax

Posted on 26 Aug, 2008 at 10:14 AM - Reply

You sound nice. But isn't our blunt attack worrying you. And what about pairing kolo withsomeone other than gallas. Think man. gallas is staling some players opportunity.

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