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May16

We finally won a Cup Final! Negotiations begin

by WiganGooner on May 16th, 2012 at 11:30 am
Posted In: Arsenal

We did it. We dragged ourselves across the line. Can we be proud? Yes. Can we ask more from this team? Can we feel like we could have achieved more? Absolutely, but did we achieve the bare minimum, yes, do I feel like we committed daylight robbery on the final day, definitely.

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It feels bloody amazing to know that we did it. Arsenal were being written off, the scum from the lane actually able to give us almost valid abuse and the entire footballing fraternity asking questions about Arsene, Kroenke and Arsenal FC in general. Achieving 3rd position above Spurs, Liverpool, Newcastle, Everton and the rest of the Premier League is not to be sniffed at. It is to be celebrated.

I’m not about to stir up the coals of the transfer saga’s that happened last summer. I’m glad to put it to bed, be happy that we have moved on and that we have achieved everything we could possibly have achieved given what has happened.

I’m glad to see the back of 2011-2012, but I feel that I am stronger for it. We’ve dropped points in daft places, but we’ve got some fantastic results too. West Brom was one of them. We absolutely needed the 3 points. I said we couldn’t go at it half-arsed, we needed the focus and grit and we gave everything to drag ourselves over the finish line.

We conceded some daft goals again. Is it complacency or just a bit of exhaustion? Is it confidence?

The important thing to take away from the end of the season is that we didn’t drop back down, we didn’t allow ourselves to finish 4th or 5th. We didn’t give up and we didn’t stop believing. We didn’t give up, for once we didn’t throw it in. That is refreshing and perhaps one of the greater influences that RvP has had on this side. They have more fight than ever before.

We have been able to secure one of our major summer targets already – Lukasz Podolski (Poldi). It is an exciting signing and hopefully the first of a few. The media cacophony is still banging drums about M’Villa and I am hopeful that things will happen. Arsene is keeping his cards close to his chest, but guaranteed Champions League football cannot hurt in negotiations. First things first however, personnel have to be moved on and the usual suspects will get wheeled out into the auction room and we’ll see if we can get some kind of money back.

Fortunately, Almungo, Squillaci will both be off as their contracts are up. Vela is hitting dizzy heights in the scoring charts, so his value is up and we need to make sure we get our moneys worth. Bendtner is being his confident, outgoing himself and royally shooting himself in the foot at every opportunity. The enigma that is Park has kept himself to himself, but I can’t imagine why we’d keep him if we aren’t prepared to play him.

Chamakh doesn’t split many opinions, but I like him and despite him not getting enough playing time and not being able to impose himself on this side this season, I do think he can be good enough for us as a different option. I would like to keep him this summer.

I just want our unused squad players gone. Get rid even if we have to sweeten the deals and save ourselves some cash. Even if we promote kids instead. With kids like Kyle Bartley and Ignasi Miquel I don’t think we have a whole lot to worry about.

I would like our transfer business, at least the incoming transfers completed before the Euro’s. I want a settled pre-season without questions and I want the team to get used to Steve Bould and begin next season with promise.

Am i excited, yes. I think we can do more next season.

WG

Follow me on Twitter @Wigangman

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May11

Our only Cup Final? Robin to stay and watch Arsenal grow

by WiganGooner on May 11th, 2012 at 11:00 am
Posted In: Arsenal

One game, just one massive pressure cooker of a game to go. The Baggies are enjoying their run-in, it’s a celebration of the achievements under Roy Hodgson who has been nothing short of excellent at West Brom.

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I haven’t been enjoying our run in. We’ve let some daft goals in and our players have no right to be happy with the performance against Norwich, a game which could have sealed 3rd spot. We used our get-out-of-jail-free card last weekend when both Newcastle and Spurs dropped points but don’t think we will be so fortunate again.

Only the three points will be enough. There can be no quarter. This isn’t a game anymore, it is a Cup Final. The difference between success and failure is very much a narrow ledge, on a precipice with winds buffeting Arsenal and it might seem easier at the moment to give in to adversity and fall gracefully to our deaths. Only heart and fight will keep us there. We need a hero to step up again.

It is generally understood that when you need a hero, one comes to the surface in one form or another. We had Robin valiantly trying to drag us to victory last week with another mercurial performance that reminds everyone exactly why he is so critical to us. Last season we had Jack Wilshire. Who will come next season? Podolski? Will Mertesacker finally start getting some of the credit he deserves? Will Vermaelen step up again? Will it be a new signing yet to be revealed?

So many questions, yet none have ever been more irrelevant.

There can be only one question holding any relevance to Arsenal right now. What Arsenal will turn up on Sunday? Will it be the determined, dynamic, powerful side that came back so emphatically against Spurs or AC Milan? Or will we see a whimpering performance like the way we played in the first half against Norwich?

We cannot afford that.

On to brighter things, without any official announcements, it appears the Blogosphere, Media Moguls have decided first that M’Vila was coming, now he isn’t and that Steve Bould will get the job as Arsene’s number two. Biglia is coming instead of M’Vila and we are also looking at Javi Martinez. All because Yann M’Vila is a bit violent off the pitch. This wouldn’t be the first time we’ve taken on a player with a chequered disciplinary record, RvP for example.

Firstly, if M’Vila came it would be interesting to see what happened to Frimpong, Coquelin and Song as we already have 3 players for one position. If any of the others come, well the point is the same. We are over-subscribed in that position and in a 25 man squad scenario you just can’t do that. So we are looking at a departure of at least one of those three to make this a possibility.

Secondly, Steve Bould has said repeatedly that he doesn’t want to be Assistant Manager, it would be a massive change of heart for him to take it on now. Allegedly He’s had a change of heart with sources (now including Arsene) reporting that Arsene has appointed him as his assistant manager. If that is the case then I am delighted for Steve. He’s intelligent, adaptable and he will be a boon for the first team. I think he can make a real difference.

WG

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May05

Canaries at the Emirates–Farewell Pat Rice-The last hurrah!

by WiganGooner on May 5th, 2012 at 10:00 am
Posted In: Arsenal

We welcome Norwich City to the Emirates today in a must-win game. Nothing less than 3 points will do in the race to achieve 3rd place. In the reverse fixture at Carrow Road, it took a determined Arsenal to come away with a hard-fought 2-1 win.

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The 12:45 kick-off is a benefit to us as we can set the bar tomorrow, we can play without fear and release the metaphorical handbrake. Three points will put us 4 points ahead, leaving our rivals chasing us knowing that they have to win. That kind of pressure can work in our favour.

I am really looking forward to the fixture, I think it is a good time for us to play Norwich, they are out of form and out of puff. The wind has gone from their sails a bit and I think mentally they are already at the airport searching for their departure lounge for their holiday jaunt.

Saying that, they will probably prove me wrong tomorrow, god I hope not.

Rumours abound that Pat Rice will retire at the end of the season, so this is an ideal opportunity to celebrate his achievements and give him a few cheers, especially if he limps around on the lap of appreciation.

Everyone has their ideas on who they would like to step into Pat’s shoes. Steve Bould looks to be a favourite, but I think he is quite happy in his developmental role (he has alluded to this in prior interviews) and would not relish being in the spotlight more. Arsene will want an ally, it wouldn’t surprise me if Bergkamp returned, but his inability to fly counts against him. Boro Primorac could well step up from his first team coaching role, he has been Arsene’s number two in the past and might welcome a return.

Whoever takes the role on will have big boots to fill, not just in supporting Arsene, but in helping take us to the next level.

Taking an early stock-take of the season, it’s been a bit of a roller-coaster. There have been some amazing highs and some awful, awful lows. I think it is a credit to our fans however that the vast majority have been supporting the team and the great atmosphere at the Emirates since the turn of the year has been a massive credit to us Gooner’s.

Lets hope we can enjoy the end of the season hurrah at the Emirates tomorrow and enjoy the visit to West Brom knowing our rivals are struggling behind us.

Come on you Gooner’s!!

WG

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May01

Points win prizes, but is 3rd place ours?

by WiganGooner on May 1st, 2012 at 12:00 pm
Posted In: Arsenal

We are in 3rd, with 4 points over our nearest rivals in Spurs and Newcastle. Both have a game in hand, but at this point of the season, it’s points that count and not what might be.

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Are we sitting pretty? Well, regardless of the game in hand we will still be in 3rd by a point. A paltry margin, but a gap at least. A token protection in the last two games. It will be for naught if we cannot get 6 points, but it is in our hands. To be in charge of your own destiny is to be free. we’ve looked a bit bereft of that freedom in the last few games and we need to get it back and drag our butts over the line.

Arsene has asked Robin to eek out whatever he has left in the tank to ensure we get there. There must be a great buzz around London Colney today with the announcement yesterday that Lukasz Podolski “Poldi” has signed for us and will join us in the summer. If there was ever a statement of intention never to repeat the transfer farce of last year then this is it.

Podolski is a cracking player, I’ve admired him from afar for many years and I felt sorry for him when he went to a Bayern side that was in full flow with the likes of Olic, RIbery and Schweinsteiger. These are big, big players and Poldi found himself out of form and a bit out of place. He’s more mature now and his return to form at his old club Cologne has been immense.

I understand from certain sources that the deal was a paltry 10 million Euro’s with add-on’s based on performance and team success. A snip. A bargain. A proper Arsene Wenger buy and I bet Chelski, ManYoo and Citeh are all wondering whether they should have been in for him.

From his perspective he has said all the right things about Arsenal and our style of play and I am excited to see him in an Arsenal shirt. Is it a break from Arsene’s usual transfer policy of purchasing talented players at a price he feels is appropriate, NO.

This isn’t Arsenal 4.0 – where the script has been torn up and Arsene will blow 45 million on a player all of a sudden. This is still Arsenal 3.0, with Wilshire, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Sagna, Rambo, Song, RvP at it’s very core. Arsene has always maintained he will spend the money on the right talent at the right price. He has consistently done this and it needs to be recognised.

Next year we could really be something. It’s a terrible phrase really, because this season we have really been something, we dug ourselves out of the mire and really showed this league what we are all about and I am proud.

Proud to be a Gooner, now and always.

 

WG

Follow me @WiganGman

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Apr27

Pulis vs Wenger–another massive game for the Gunners

by WiganGooner on April 27th, 2012 at 12:00 pm
Posted In: Aaron Ramsey, Arsenal, Chelsea, Stoke, Tomas Rosicky

We take on the Potters tomorrow in what is conceivably a bigger game for us than Chelsea. We wanted a win against Chelsea, but a point is what we got and as Arsene says, 4 points against them is a good result over the season.

What faces us up there in Stoke? Apart from a rather rough ride from the Stoke fans is there anything for us to worry about? There is everything for us to worry about. Stoke aren’t the physical side that they used to be. They play much more football, they are dangerous and are more than capable of taking points off of us. We have visited the Britannia Stadium four times and come home beaten on three occasions. We cannot allow this to happen again, we need the points and this is no mid-season fixture, this is vital.

Focus, 100% commitment and desire is required for this fixture. We cannot take them lightly and I’m delighted that Benayoun is going to be in for Walcott so we can look forward to his industrious efforts and I hope he can be decisive against them.

I’m looking to Gervinho to start delivering on his early season promise. I want him to get at his full-back and attack the box. He’s got the ability, but he seems to have lost focus and form since the ACN and we need everyone to be pulling in the right direction tomorrow.

In midfield I expect Rambo to slot in alongside Song and Rosicky to return in his role as the advanced, attacking midfielder sitting behind RvP in the “False Number 10” role. The “False 10” is a position that is only apparent when we are in possession, as when we are chasing the ball Rosicky will drop back into central midfield and assist in regaining posession, then sprinting off again into the “False 10” position. Dropping behind and performing the playmaker role. This is ideal for bringing rampaging wingers into play because Rosicky, or anyone in that role would be receiving the ball in the area between midfield and defence and should have the opportunity to play through balls out to the wingers or through to RvP.

Long term, this is Rambo’s role (he started the season in this position) so I hope he pays attention to Rosicky, his movement, drive, speed on the turn and vision. He could really take his game onto the next level if he studies Rosicky. Another proposition for the role could be Diaby, if we can ever get him fit. It would play to his strengths and he has shown in the past that he can excel in that role.

So what do I think, I think we’ll get a good result at Stoke, we need it and I feel that the Chelsea game will not have dented anyone’s confidence, especially the way Chelsea contained Barca over two games. If they kept Barca out then there is no shame in drawing the way we did. Yes we had opportunities to win it, but sometimes it just doesn’t happen and you have to be honest enough to say we didn’t really deserve the 3 points.

That aside, 3 points from the Potteries please!!

WG

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