Will Arsene Wenger’s Avowal Lead to Changes in Arsenal’s Team for Sunday?

What a wonderful thing the truth is. It favors change for the better. What better basis to build on than the truth?

Arsene Wenger has taken a step towards building on the truth after frankly admitting he carried a significant part of the fault for the defeat at the hands of title-challenge rivals Manchester United.

The Gunners were defeated 3-1 in front of domestic crowd, but that was not the worst part for them. The worst part was they were tactically outplayed by a team that consists of, more or less, players of similar mould when it comes to talent.
Wenger stated on the club’s official website:

“I cannot say I got it right when you lose 3-0 [against Chelsea] and 3-1 [against Man United], I have to say I got it wrong,” he said. “But in terms of team selection, I’m not sure.

“We lost the games and I am responsible for the results of the team. When you lose a game, you feel responsible. Of course, I want our fans to go home and be triumphant. When they go home and cry you feel responsible.

“I don’t feel we have been overrun, I feel we have put ourselves in the position where we are open to counter-attacks.

“We lacked a little bit of patience as well. Even when we came out at 2-0 at half-time, we were in a rush to go forwards. Let’s get back to 2-1 and then we see. Even at 3-1, we could have equalized in the last ten minutes”

It must have come as a shock to many football fans to see such a statement coming out Wenger’s mouth. The man has been known as being stubborn to a fault, apart from being optimistic to a fault.

Wenger’s admittance of past mistakes, gives the Arsenal fans some hope that he will probably tweak the team’s approach for Sunday’s game against current table leaders Chelsea.

Hope is also partially boosted by the fact Abou Diaby, whom is having a fitness test today, is likely to return to provide wider options in the midfield for Wenger. He can inject variety in both attack and defense with his box-to-box runs, strength, and size.

However, not Diaby but a more defensive style of play with the wise usage of counter-attacks, similarly to what United did in their Emirates conquest, could turn out to have bigger influence on a positive outcome for Arsenal.

Chelsea is a dangerous team which has a hefty number of potential match-deciding players—Frank Lampard, Diddier Drogba, Joe Cole and others— but a strong, organized defensive display rather than the usual of style of play may prove to be the more adequate approach to the game.

Potential problems might stem from individual errors of some of the Arsenal players – errors, however, which can be compensated by a strong team-work effort.
If Arsene Wenger goes into the game with the sword pointed at the right direction, the edge might as well sink into Chelsea’s heart in the end.

Otherwise, Arsenal will find themselves trailing by nine points and in a very difficult—and once again disappointing—position.

Come Sunday, Wenger will have his chance to redeem himself against another tactical mastermind—this time Carlo Ancelotti. He would certainly hope to postpone similarly baring acknowledgments of inferiority, which go inseparably with football, for other less-fortunate times.

Three Reasons Why Abou Diaby Has Been Underestimated

Abou Diaby has hit top form. His stellar performances are putting smiles on more and more Gooners.

But this has not been always the case. Not once have fans and pundits criticized him for lack of desire on the field, laziness, or inconsistency.

But why is he performing well now? More importantly, why haven’t we seen him play like that before?

To answer these questions, we must remind ourselves of his past.



Resemblance to Patrick Vieira

It’s hard to fill the shoes of all-time Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira. The ex-Arsenal captain was one of the best all-around footballers ever to play for the club.

Since his arrival from Auxerre in January 2006, the towering strong French midfielder Abou Diaby has had to experience an unfortunate turn of events due to his resemblance to Vieira—a physical resemblance coupled with a similar style of play—which led a whole lot of people to think that they have found the immediate replacement of the recently-gone-to-Inter Vieira.

Aged 19 at the time, it was hardly the best welcoming atmosphere for a player of this tender age to feel.

The expectations were huge. Who would fill the shoes of the one of the best players ever?

Abou Diaby was the main suspect. That, however positive in the minds of the fans, did not have a good influence on Diaby.

Not only it put great pressure on him to perform, but also it had the potential to restrict his development as a player. People were expecting him to fill Vieira’s position easily.

He had the physical attributes to do it. He was tall and strong. Even his style of play resembled Patrick’s. He kept the ball, had a good technique, and his height even signaled for potential aerial domination.

But that was not enough.

He had to demonstrate uncompromising and unwavering actions, distribute well-placed short passes and through balls, successfully keep the ball almost each and every time, and remain calm under all conditions. In the minds of the fans, he had to be Patrick Vieira.

It is a hard thing to do, especially, if you have just embarked on your journey called a football career, and you are still about to experience the taste of top-quality football.



Time Off Field

How can you prove your worth when you are not participating?

Another major reason, probably even a bigger factor for the underestimation of the quality of Diaby as a player, is the injury spells.

Having managed to participate in 12 games since his move from Auxerre in January, the French prospect suffered a fractured and dislocated ankle caused by a vicious two-footed tackle performed by Sunderland’s Dan Smith. The injury ruled Diaby out for a whole nine months.

Around February the next year, 2008, recently recovered Diaby sustained another injury, this time to his knee. During the same month he sprained his ankle.

An injury-ridden season that also included a concussion in April and sprained ankle in August allowed the Vieira-like footballer to record only 12 matches, a number that once again did not allow him to show his quality to a full extent.

Injuries continued to torment the tall midfielder even throughout the next season, 2008/09. He suffered an abdominal strain in November, a tight muscle strain, calf muscle strain, and another tight muscle strain in January, February, and April respectively.

Despite all those setbacks Diaby successfully formed a good partnership with talented fellow midfielder Alex Song when he had the opportunity to play, recording 24 matches and scoring three goals.

This year’s competition hasn’t differed a lot from the past seasons as well. Still, even though he has suffered injuries on three occasions so far, Diaby has managed to grab 18 starts and has contributed five goals.

With already five years at the club, Abou Diaby has amassed a total of 79 matches, suffering injuries on 13 occasions. It is not wonder that he has been underestimated. It actually comes as a surprise to some that Diaby is putting up some stellar performances this season.

Keeping him fit would be the key to unlocking his tremendous potential.



The Team Formation

On a number of times during the previous season, Diaby was played out of position. He was usually placed on the left wing, which up until the arrival of Samir Nasri was a position that caused Arsene Wenger big headaches.

According to Wenger, the placement of Abou Diaby on the left side of the midfield was part of his development as a player. But it was obvious this was not the position for him. He didn’t possess the necessary speed to be there and kept drifting to the centre, causing more problems and earning him the label of “undisciplined.”

Which, plainly speaking, was not true.

A tall, strong player’s more natural position would be the centre of the field, where he would be able to disrupt the oppositional game, keep the ball in possession, and do forward runs, which we all know Diaby can.

That is why the new system that Wenger incorporated into the squad, 4-3-3, was the best thing that ever happened to Diaby. If healthy, he would certainly be first choice to play alongside Song, with whom he has a great understanding, or/and with team captain Cesc Fabregas.

What makes him perfect for this formation is that he can both help Song with the defensive workload and Fabregas by drawing the attention away from him or by doing forward runs, thus adding to the variety of the attack.



Abou Diaby has had his share of hard times—hard times which have painted a different image than the one Diaby is supposed to have.

But one thing should be remembered when evaluating this embattled French midfielder. Whether injuries, bad influence, or being played out of position, the man has overcome it all. Resilience, when coupled with talent, the presence of which in Diaby is irrefutable, is the dough for a key player in the making.

Time to Give Thomas Vermaelen Some Well-Deserved Credit Again

Arsenal is a squad with predominantly young players.

In recent years, a wide variety of epithets have branded this same young side. They have been called green, talented, soft, lacking, prodigious, and a lot more—epithets that have become difficult for the Gunners to get rid of.

But one event in the summer is responsible for breaking the status quo, contributing to the destruction of the epithet “softness.”

The arrival of Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax highlights the intentions of Arsene Wenger to make his side tougher—to close the gap of this side and the side that was before Patrick Vieira’s departure.

Who is a better suitable man to help Wenger with this cause than the ex-captain of Ajax?

The guy has all that is needed. He has fit perfectly into the team, successfully striking a comfortable understanding with his defensive partner William Gallas. At only 10 million, Vermaelen looks like yet another one of Wenger’s trademark bargains.

The 24-year-old centre back has been able to offer the much-needed stability at the back with his quality positioning, which in turn is the basis for his superior aerial ability—something that Arsenal have suffered a lot from on countless occasions.

The reason for even more nods of approval is the fact that the Belgian defender seems to have a good taste for attacking, managing to produce some spectacular forward rushes. His five goals, emotional stability, never-ending energy resources, quality positioning and tactical knowledge, and great heading ability are exactly what Arsenal has needed since ex-team captain and midfield powerhouse Vieira left the club.

Even with emerging star in the squad Alex Song, who is currently on the radars of just about every pundit, Vermaelen has somehow managed to draw applause from the Arsenal faithful.

His stellar performances have earned him two consecutive player of the month awards. He has worked hard, and it looks like he is not content with his form but is willing to improve even more. His consistency has been a most welcome and calming balm for Wenger’s young side. What better than to have a player who gives his best in every single match?

This is exactly what Thomas Vermaelen has been doing. With his all-around abilities as a footballer and leadership skills, Thomas has become an irreplaceable ingredient of the first team. Only he and ex-captain Gallas have played in all of the 19 matches in the Premier League so far, and it is easy to see why.

Even though the Arsenal defense have allowed the ball to roll into their net a total number of 21 times, it is still one of the best among the teams in the Premier League. The only signing of the summer for the Gunners carries a good proportion of the responsibility for that to be true.

Song may be becoming a key player for Arsenal, but Vermaelen has already transformed into one.

The fact that it has taken him virtually no time to adapt to the significantly faster tempo and hard-tackles style of play of English football makes his progress look even more impressive.

If Arsenal is to win their first trophy in five years, the Belgian will be undeniably a major factor for this happening. It’s a question of time for his team’s successful trophy run to come true, just the same as it is only a matter of time for Thomas Vermaelen to earn his well-deserved glory at Arsenal.

He has all that it takes. Do not doubt that.

Phil Brown’s Dirty Tactics Fire Blanks at the Emirates

It took 60 minutes for Phil Brown’s side to realize that they have been defeated at the Emirates Stadium. From the beginning of the game, the Tigers threw themselves into the game with little regard for how much they would be able to keep up with this high level of play.

They made it clear that they would fight tooth and nail for the three points. But that’s where tooth and nail became too literal for football’s standards. The tactics were obvious: direct play, closing down all around the field, and Craig Fagan alone on the front-line.

Now, there is nothing wrong in being more direct, or making harder tackles than usual; it has actually been proven to be the right step in neutralizing technically superior teams. But the Hull City players were trying to come up with a new definition for the word DIRECT (adjective in this case).

Steven Hunt attempted to push Manuel Almunia’s buttons with a couple of improvised provocations. Sparks started to fly as the Arsenal goalkeeper responded to one of Hunt’s challenges. Referee Steve Bennett, however, kept thing under control with a few strict words to both of them.

But the match almost got completely out of hand when just before the end of the first half, Arsenal won a controversial free-kick 10 meters away from the arc of the penalty area.

As referee Steve Bennett was trying to affirm his decision of awarding the free kick, the strangest of things happened. Seeing Samir Nasri walk slowly toward him, Richard Garcia identified and seized his chance. He crumbled on the ground as soon as he felt the slightest touch by Nasri.

And that’s when it started to look really odd.

As if stung by bees, at least five Hull players reacted violently. Led by Steven Hunt and Nick Barmby (who was substituted on break), the Tigers jumped forward at Samir Nasri to seek justice.

Nasri stumbled backwards, some Arsenal players rushed in to help him, and then the melee unleashed. It took a full five minutes for Bennett to reinstate control of the game. What was strange in this situation was that Hunt saw the whole incident happening just before his eyes and nevertheless impulsively dashed forward.

Bennett summoned Nasri and Barmby, showing them the yellow card.

As the game progressed the fog around Fagan’s role started to disperse as well.

He created practically nothing for the duration of the entire match with the exception of a few well-performed simulations. It was obvious that the reason why Phil Brown had chosen to field Fagan instead of the much more powerful and adept in the air Daniel Cousin was because of the striker’s highly developed artistic talents.

And it almost gave result, when in the 56th minute Fagan fell on the ground, claiming that he was held by a surprisingly well-performing-on-the-night Mikael Silvestre. The Arsenal defenders were surprised to see referee Steve Bennett point towards the spot, repeatedly pulling his shirt in response to their astonished expressions.

Higher powers were at work on that night though and justice was served.

Manuel Almunia guessed the direction of Giovanni’s shot and parried the ball, only for it to land on the head of oncoming Hunt, who along with a couple of his team-mates made final attempts to net the ball, but miserably failed to do so.

That defined the turning point of the match and from there on, there was only one team: Arsenal. With two more goals, the match was pushed into formality—3-0.

Nevertheless, the result was not the most important thing this Saturday night.

It was the resoluteness and intelligence the Arsenal players showed to deal with a very tough opponent, especially at a period of time when their captain, Cesc Fabregas, was missing.

As for Phil Brown and his side, they gave it all—maybe even more than that. That is football.

Arsenal: Old Faces Seen at the Training Ground; Sol Campbell Back?

One of Arsenal’s most successful centre backs, and a significant part of the “Invincibles” team, Sol Campbell, has been seen at the Arsenal training grounds.

Back when Arsenal completed their last trophy conquest, Sol managed to blend in perfectly with the Arsenal squad, forming a solid partnership with Kolo Toure who is now at Manchester City.

Campbell, 35, was released by his last team, Notts County, by mutual consent of both him and the club, and is now free to pursue a new contract. His presence at the Emirates, however, should not be read much into, according to Arsene Wenger:

"I don't know about that yet," said Wenger. "I haven't thought about it.

"At the moment we have four centre backs and we will always have four. If one would go I would consider it but at the moment we have four. There is no need to sign anyone else.

"I love Sol Campbell and the fact he came back here and wanted to practice with us shows that he loves the Club as well.

“You never say never in this kind of situations. He can still do a job in the Premier League especially now he is fit but at the moment we have no need to sign anybody."

However vague the situation is, a certain question arises: Can Sol Campbell help the team, or at least, can his tons of experience help in some way for some of the youngsters to improve themselves if he is re-signed by Arsene?

With the presences of the new summer acquisition Thomas Vermaelen, the ever-solid William Gallas, and second picks Philippe Senderos and Mikael Silvestre, one might begin to wonder whether Sol is really needed at the moment. Another defender, Johan Djourou, may be out until the end of March, which only puts more emphasis on the question.

One thing is certain; Sol would love to come back to Arsenal. It’s an entirely different thing, however, whether he will fit into the squad at present time.

So, here comes your opinion.

Do you think he will come as a plus to the current squad?

Time to Look Ahead: Arsenal’s Youngsters May Provide Needed Moral Boost

Flowers may not seem to be blossoming for the Gunners at present times. Two losses in a row in the Premier League—one against a supposedly inferior team. Understandably, the spirits of the team have been lowered. Nobody wanted to record a defeat, especially two, that’s for sure.

But all is not lost. While Arsenal is currently trailing 11 points from the leaders Chelsea, there is still hope as a significant part of Chelsea’s team is to leave for the Africa Cup of Nations in January. Same goes for a lot of other teams.

Nevertheless, the source of hope and uplift may come from the most unexpected places. The youngsters at Arsenal, ironically, can be the ones to provide the team with a significant moral boost.

Players like Carlos Vela, Jack Wilshere, Sanchez Watt, Armand Traore, Fran Merida, Jack Wilshere, and Vito Mannone are more motivated than ever to prove themselves.

The injury epidemic at Arsenal brings them one step closer to their dreamed first-team participation.

And what better motivation than seeing what you want just in front of you, only an arm’s reach away; and the only thing you have to do is just reach and grab it.

Just recently, after the match against Chelsea, Wenger announced that the youngsters will get their chance to prove themselves.

On Wednesday, Arsenal is playing Manchester City in the Carling Cup. A good performance by either of the aforementioned players can put pressure on the first-team starters to perform better.

Eduardo is one of those players; undoubtedly, he feels Carlos Vela breathing down his neck. This may prove beneficial to him. Even if it does not work, it is a good chance for Vela to apply for a regular first-team place, in case he provides several good performances, of course—a chance he will definitely have in the coming weeks before Niklas Bedntner returns from injury.

Similar is the situation on the left-back position. Personally, I was tad surprised to see Kieran Gibbs being chosen over Armand Traore during the last year. I have always considered Traore to be the more progressed player. But this still is beneficial for the team. Competition will always raise the bar for its participants.

With Clichy out for another two weeks, and Gibbs out for a significantly longer period of time, it is a golden opportunity for Armand Traore—an opportunity which he surely has waited for a long time.

Another positive sign can be found even in the much tormented and problematic front-line of Arsenal.

The absence of Van Persie is certainly a big blow for the Gunners, and Eduardo’s current form does not help as well. But here’s where two relatively new faces will see their chances.

Carlos Vela has been talked about a lot, ever since the time he spent loan spells at Salamanca and Osasuna, where he gained invaluable experience and was often involved with the first team. Now, he is prepared for Premier League football. His fitness is top notch, and he is more eager than ever to prove himself.

Recently, he stated at the Arsenal website:

"I really want to improve on last season," he said. "I want to score more goals than last season and play more and the main aim for the team is to win something."

After an injury-stricken beginning of the season, the hunger for improvement for Carlos Vela is there. There is only one way for him: up. And what better than that for the team.

Another new face that may become involved in Arsenal’s attack, and most likely will be seen in the game against Manchester City, is Sanchez Watt.

I have always been an admirer of the youngster’s skills. Skills he demonstrated during the team’s preseason preparation. He is tall, technically apt, and reads the game very well.

He recently signed a new contract with Arsenal which proves that he has what it takes to remain at the club.

"This is a contract that gives me more time to prove myself and hopefully I will," he said.

"I want to get a few first-team chances, even just getting in the squad because you know you're improving if you're getting on the bench because there are a lot of players in the team.”

He is still quite young and is ever-improving, but if he is able to grasp his chance against Manchester City, he can be a contender for a first-team spot, or he can provide some pressure on the first-team starters, and maybe push them to improve their form.

Vito Mannone is a young player who has already proved himself to a degree. Now that he has tasted first-team football, the motivation to come back will be even stronger. He is a more than decent goal keeper who could become the next big thing, but at the moment, his drive to get into the first team can be beneficial for the first team.

Even in an injury-stricken squad like the current one of Arsenal, the youngster can provide Wenger with a headache or two. But that is only if they perform well.

They will have their chances, as Wenger said. It’s up to them.

And at times like this, their determination to prove themselves is exactly what the team needs. Ironically, the source of problems that the age has caused for Arsenal can be the source of hope and inspiration as well.

Good luck, young Gunners.

Arsenal: UEFA’s Newly Considered Regulations in Favor of Gunners’ Policy

Arsenal’s ruling body and manager received a huge boost for their confidence after the announcement of the UEFA administration that they will work towards accepting new regulations which would restrict the financial freedom of some clubs. By introducing the Financial Fair Play concept, they are hoping to retain the integrity of football.

Among the points being put into consideration were that clubs would be forbidden to repeatedly spend more than their income; a limit would be put on the players’ wages and on transfer fees as well; also the clubs would be expected to fulfill their commitments, whatever they might be, on a timely basis.

UEFA’s new theoretical, for now, regulations would attempt to curb the financial chaos that some clubs are creating by spending a lot more than their income. These are clubs usually owned by very rich people who ignore the actual turnover of the club and take all financial issues in their own capable hands.

Clubs like Manchester City, Real Madrid, Chelsea, and others would have to adapt and are expected to strongly feel the ramifications of this rule.

Arsenal, however, has already embarked on the road of a financially self-sustaining club and it is certainly in a significantly more favorable position than most of its rivals.

Speaking on the Arsenal website, Arsene Wenger shared his thoughts on UEFA’s intentions:

“We can be only stronger, because at the moment we fight with teams who do not respect that [Financial Fair Play],” said Wenger.

“I do not know how much time it will take to get that rule in place, but we will adapt.

“Whether the rule changes or not, it does not influence the way we behave.
It can only influence the way some other clubs behave, who do not live completely within these rules.

“But I believe we will dominate even without a change of rules.”

It is certainly a welcome decision by the Arsenal manager and board. But to really be able to comprehend how teams would be affected by such decision by UEFA, we will need numbers.

How much have the clubs really spend? Is it that much?

In the past years, here’s how much the major players have spent in the transfer market:

Chelsea, under their billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, has spent around £600 million since he took over in 2003. Real Madrid has spent an even more staggering £673 million since 2003.

The two titans rocking the financial world of football are followed by the new member in the club of billionaire-owned football clubs, Manchester City, with the sum of around £185 million (£120 million spending during this year’s summer transfer window and around £65 million more from the previous years).

If you compare that with Arsenal’s measly £60 million since 2004—a sum which still remains unreachable for the majority of clubs out there—you would begin to understand why UEFA is attempting to take such measures.

Since the invasion of billionaire owners began, the world of football has been split into two. On the one side, there are the supporters of—let’s call it—the-brutal-law-of-nature financial policy in which the small one is eaten by the big one; policy signified by the big spending of the clubs, with the help of their billionaires’ unending resources.

On the other side, there are people like Pele and the current UEFA president Michele Platini, who believe that football is much more than a business and have more than once come out with their annoyance and disapproval for the unreasonably big spending of some clubs.

Pele once said for the L'Osservatore Romano, “All I know is that it is not fair or democratic,”

"It is the big one eating the small one. Maybe it is normal, but it is dangerous for football.”

It makes you stop and think, doesn’t it? Where is the whole thing going with this transfer-fee funfair going out of control? To top it, the inflation of money amongst economic crisis certainly doesn’t help those numbers too.

So, in the end, someone has decided to act. UEFA is considering the new rules, and they have made the first steps in keeping the integrity of football in tact.

For some it may be a step backwards, but for others, this could mean the beginning of a long process of reincarnation of football in its purest form.

One thing that cannot be denied is that UEFA’s drive to make the football clubs financially self-sustaining would improve the financial health of football. Eyes can be turned away from foreign desirable players and turned towards the clubs’ own youth divisions.

The rule could help the development of more players from the youth ranks. What better than seeing more world-class players emerging on the field, and not only a handful of great players?

One thing is certain: A change like that can bring the end of the billionaires’ reign in football, and the clubs that have not been bought by ones would benefit the most.