Man on fire

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
28 Jan	8:00 PM	P	Everton (A)	1	1	Draw

I said yesterday was the beginning of a sequence of must win games. It didn't quite go to plan, really did it? Had it not been for a worthy addition to RvP's personal canon of wonder goals, Arsenal would have succumbed to a defeat leaving them looking over their shoulder at Everton in 6th and 6 points behind 4th place Aston Villa.

As it is, we're merely five points behind Aston Villa and our fate is a long way from being in our own hands. I must confess, dear reader, that I'm worried about where this team will finish this season. Although, if we can garner enough points, I'm convinced Liverpool are there for the taking.

I know we have Theo Walcott, Eduardo, Francesc Fabregas and Tomas Rosicky to return and they can only help our cause, but we don't know exactly when Cesc and Tomas will be back, which leaves the task of reinvigorating our attacking play, as I type, on the shoulders of Theo and Eduardo. After a year out, how much can reasonably expect from Eduardo? After four months out, is it reasonable to expect Theo, who seems to have become a much better player in his absence, to return to the side and take the mantle?

It is for that reason, that whatever our worries about the state of central midfield, our the central defence, or the form of Gaël Clichy, that I think signing Andrei Arshavin is so important. The midfield needs an injection of quality that isn't currently available to the manager. If Arshavin, and the deal is 90% done acccording to the boss, comes in, our wide options become varied and should be adjusted on a game to game basis without a big drop in quality.

As it is, at present, we are seeing the likes of Emmanuel Eboue and Denilson feature there and whatever their qualities as footballers are, they are not what we require in our wide midfielders. I don't understand how the manager can play Denilson wide. It's like a rerun of the deployment of Cesc 3 years ago. That didn't work, no matter how good Cesc is as a footballer, a winger he ain't. He had better players to play with then as well. It might not be an option to explore when playing away at your (ouch) nearest rivals, but I really want to see Carlos Vela tried on the wing. With his pace and trickery, he would surely offer more than any other option we've got at the moment.

I said it yesterday, I shudder to think where we would be without Robin at the moment, the man is on fire and, call me naive, I don't think that, as Myles Palmer suggests, it's to do with playing for a contract. I think it's to do with Robin beginning to realise his full potential, it's to do with him playing at 100% and not having to recover from injury every 5 minutes and, perhaps most importantly, it's to do with him relishing in becoming the team's talisman.

Robin, Robin, Robin, how could I ever have doubted you? His strike partner cuts an interesting figure at the moment, without the goal out of nothing qualities of Robin, and starved of quality service in the absence of Cesc, Ade seems to be turning up for his appearance bonus. I don't know, I do know that after the summer shenanigans, Ade was expected to work hard to win us back. Has he done this? I'm don't think he has, really.

Rejuvenated West Ham are up next ...

User Comments

Faz

Posted on 30 Jan, 2009 at 05:55 PM - Reply

Lets face it RVP is doing the business even though there is no tangible supply from midfield. Ade is dropping too deep due to a lack of supply. We are in trouble but I dont think Arshavin is the answer his heart wont be in it (he would rather be in Spain) and will be off as soon as possible do we really want that attitude in the dressing room? Wenger has no money to spend fact. He is covering up for the Board. The Club is saddled with debt so Wenger has to do the best he can with the resourses he has available.

On the positive side it's only January I dont see any bookies paying out yet? We need to carry on with therun an accumilate points on the quiet le the media fret about our predicament and let Villa handl the pressure of delivering. Lets see how they cope with fixture congestion. Keep the faith.

delboy

Posted on 30 Jan, 2009 at 04:14 PM - Reply

We had the most difficult fixture of the midweek matches so it's not a disaster. That was also on the end of 3 away matches. Now for a good run at home. Villa will be caught, i have no doubt about that. If anyone has been watching their matches they have been incredibliy lucky and that wont last. All is not lost i think we could also catch pool at this stage. No one is catching utd though!

Dan

Posted on 30 Jan, 2009 at 03:23 PM - Reply

The inconsistency of this team is unbearable, i can no longer suffer in silence as my beloved arsenal annihalate man u and then almost lose to everton. The reality is that with cesc out for god knows how long EVERYTHING lies on the shoulders of mr robin van persie. All season i have been dissapointed with adebayor, he never tries and when he does try and scores, such as the middlesborough game, he is absent for the rest of the match. Personally i dont see what Wenger sees in diaby, adebayor or song. We need to sign a player such as arshavin so that there is competition in the midfield for places and so that the lazy players will buck up and actually try to keep their place on the squad. I want Eduardo back ASAP as i am going to kill myself if i have to watch lazy talentless adebayor play football ever again, and whats worse he is constantly praised in the media by other fans and the quality of sagna and nasri are overlooked by those other than the arsenal faithfull

Sege Bee

Posted on 30 Jan, 2009 at 01:00 PM - Reply

Hmmm this thing aint funny...we might not make the Champs League...can u imaginbe.
ive seen this before..Wenger is allowing one man to carry the team.it happened with Henry..it happened with Fabregas...now its with Van Pee..
See how mnay pple Man U have to carry their team?
please buy Arshavin

Yavor

Posted on 30 Jan, 2009 at 11:49 AM - Reply

I think that Villa will finish in Top 4 at the expense of... Liverpool who are in a free-fall mode now

dslacker

Posted on 30 Jan, 2009 at 11:02 AM - Reply

Bang on mate i cringed when i saw deni on the wing it just doesnt work. Ive been saying for weeks robin is on fire amid all this nonsense talk of moving him wide in such a hot patch of form.

We need Ash like humans need water, i dont want arsenal to die of thirst for goals.

gun man

Posted on 30 Jan, 2009 at 10:21 AM - Reply

i think sometimes its a miracle for us to win against big clubs.and if not y cant we win on these small clubs while other clubs never lose point on them.i would like to hear from cesc abt our present perfmance.win is must every match for us should b a final match. c'mon guys

Jimbo

Posted on 30 Jan, 2009 at 08:58 AM - Reply

Quality comments! I was hoping to see Vela on the left wing the moment I knew Theo was out. Wenger talks of the need for having a left sided wide player after the failure of Reyes, and yet doesn't provide the opportunity to the extremely talented Vela. He is our one player who is perfectly attributed to fulfil that need/role! The lack of injection from wide has had a lot to do with the failure of our immobile midfield this year! Robin for vice-captaincy!

You know it makes sense!

Guna Raj

Posted on 30 Jan, 2009 at 07:34 AM - Reply

no matter what happened the other day against everton, i would say its time for all the players rally against each other and buckle up. no doubt it was a disappointing performance from my beloved team but there are some areas that we can be better. we need a spark from someone in the middle. what the players need to do now is to stop talking about winning the title and just focus on delivering the results. we had a great chance last season till eduardo's unfortunate injury against birmingham. and now its kind of same thing happening with cesc out injured and we lacking that killer pass from the middle. am not denying the brilliance of nasri or even diaby or denilson, but where is the creativity? the players should just keep their mouth shut and let the manager do the talking. that would be the best case scenario. that would really help our season which already showing signs of worrying moments. vela deserve a start and this would make a significant impact towards the team. no point of talking winning the title or even qualifying for the final CL spot, just do what we are known for, winning the games!! Gunners For life!!!

George Templeton

Posted on 30 Jan, 2009 at 05:29 AM - Reply

Thanks for your respect for the Villa. I'm not sure its much consolation but I hope you do pip Liverpool or Chelsea for second.

Mike

Posted on 30 Jan, 2009 at 02:37 AM - Reply

Well It was good that RVP scored but we just dropped two more points behind. A draw was of no help we need wins nothing short of 3 points every game. Sorry but this was a horrible showing even with the late goal it was to little to late.

GS

Posted on 30 Jan, 2009 at 02:33 AM - Reply

I am same worried as you. This team has proven that they are weaker than aston villa.

I haven't seen such a weak Arsenal for years! Wenger thought that he can win with wonderkids but every trophyless season has proven that he's wrong and yet, he's adamant to stick with his youth policy!

Gunners, please wake up! Are you really enjoying watching this? Midfielders who do not know how to tackle, 2 center backs who are quarreling, striker who doesnt deliver, besides Van Persie and Nasri, who is doing well now?

We are just the lousiest team in the air, anyone can beat us, yes, and I remind you, no teams in EPL are afraid of us now, not even cardiff city from 1st division!

I'm writing this not because I don't support my team, is because I'm really sicked of watching the players play without heart. Where's the passion of winning? Where's the invincible gunners 5 years back?

You can't ask the kids to do a man's job!

Jimmy Talbot

Posted on 29 Jan, 2009 at 11:40 PM - Reply

Completely agree mate, Robin has been amazing, dunno where we'd be without his brilliance this season.. Ade has been a real disappointment, and he sure hasn't won me over since the summer.. Thank goodness Robin is on fire and we got a fit striker that can actually score when it matters!!

jay

Posted on 29 Jan, 2009 at 11:38 PM - Reply

Great Article,

Just thinking about Ade, he has a good record against the lesser team in North London, maybe he could start early this time and deliver against West Ham, and then them.

A disappointed gooner

Posted on 29 Jan, 2009 at 11:17 PM - Reply

I think we will be playing UEFA cup next season, seriously. Villa will finish at 3rd or 4th, they are winning close games and look strong and confident, we are 6 points behind them and I think this gap might widen.
At the start of the season we were missing Flamini badly and now we also lack creativity in the middle (I am not sure about Arshavin) and we still dont have a solid centerback (its a circus out there with djorou, gallas and toure). The game y'day against Everton was a drab, we created nothing and Adebayor was pathetic.
The only good thing is Everton, currently at 6th in the league have the same injury worries that we are having and would find it difficult to finish ahead of us and the rest of the teams are in a league of their own (trying to finish higher than 18th).
Its been a huge downward spiral for us. Last season (during the second half of the campaign) we lacked in defence and finishing up front and now apart from those worries we are also not creating anything upfront. Sometims it is hard to find Nasri and Adebayor on the pitch, they go missing, Eboue, Denilson, Song and Diaby neither can hold the ball nor can pass and the Gaffer is as stubborn as always.
I am preparing for the heartbreak. Good luck Le Miserables.

irish gunner

Posted on 29 Jan, 2009 at 10:03 PM - Reply

well said son, every game now is a must win game. as long as villa keep winning we must keep winning because they have to have a bad run of some sort its a given. Also this whole arshavin thing is a joke we need the lad we should have had the deal wrapped up within the 1st week of the window

Rob C

Posted on 29 Jan, 2009 at 10:02 PM - Reply

arsene does seem a bit confused with his midfield selection and I fully agree Vela should be given a run in the team and we can confine Eboue to the subs bench or better still the reserve team. RVP is absolutely amazing at the moment, his first touch is incredible (perhaps he should have some one on one training with Ade so he could improve his first touch) and without him we would be half the way down the table.

Steve

Posted on 29 Jan, 2009 at 09:01 PM - Reply

Well said. I would much rather watch Vela have a go at opponents than watch Eboue do whatever it is he does. We look like we could use something new to spark things up a bit. I think Robin has been displaying a bit of on-field leadership lately - maybe he's maturing.

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