Nine Jimmy Rimmers – Arsenal and Football

Cesc Fabregas and Nicklas Bendtner are neck and neck so far in our Arsenal – Huddersfield Man of the Match Poll.   Arshavin currently third.  Who was your choice?

***** Add your vote here. *****

First thoughts and player ratings. As I kind of said yesterday, the only place Arsenal could lose this was in their heads. Well at least we won, but that was a truly dire performance.

Of the starters, only Almunia, Koscielny, Nasri and Bendtner looked on their game. Even then Bendtner missed a few chances and needed a big deflection to get the ball in the net. Instead of the goal easing any tension and Arsenal starting to play with more style they became more lethargic, with hopeless passing and the aimless Gibbs and Eboue letting the pressure off Huddersfield.

Then two serious incidents that could rack up the price of this victory: Squillaci blocked Hunt and was given a straight red. Now we are down to two central defenders for the next three games unless Wenger has some secret transfer move ready for tomorrow.

With Arsenal down to ten men, Huddersfield put on the pressure themselves and Arsenal got very ragged. Nasri chased a route one ball and pulled his hamstring. Really hope that it isn’t a serious tear. He has been our player of the season and in tandem with Fabregas has really turned things round in January.

In the second half, Huddersfield came on strong again and, after Almunia had kept several attempts out they finally got the equaliser that they deserved.

With a replay or worse beckoning, on came captain Fabregas. Cesc really lifted the team, immediately giving a sense of purpose that the rest had lacked. Created a great chance for Bendtner who was pushed in front of goal. Penalty. To be consistent, Clattenberg should have given the Huddersfield defender a straight red, but didn’t.

Up steps Fabregas and after a stuttering run-up scores the winner. So, replay avoided and Arsenal progress. Just hope that the red card and hamstring don’t make us pay.

Almunia – 7
Thankfully on the ball despite being out for so long. Made a particularly good finger-tip save. Didn’t make any real errors, couldn’t do much about the Huddersfield goal.
Eboue – 6
Typical Eboue game. Likes to get forward, or in fact likes to go all over the pitch like he’s Pele. Isn’t.
Squillaci – 5
Didn’t look at all enthusiastic about the game. Inevitably had to cover for Eboue but doesn’t have the pace for that task that Djourou has.
Koscielny – 7
Had an OK game, certainly the best defender.
Gibbs – 5
Must have been an imposter, and a rusty one at that!
Denilson – 4
One of his worst performances.
Diaby – 5
Very rusty. Kept dwelling on the ball.
Nasri – 7
Doing OK until the injury. Everybody pray!
Bendtner – 7
Not always very sharp but worked hard and kept trying to create.
Chamakh – 5
Didn’t get into the game at all.
Arshavin – 7
Worked hard and made one fantastic defensive tackle in the box to prevent a short-range scoring opportunity. But his touch and decision-making are still off.
Rosicky – 6
Nothing special but better than others.
Song – 7
Restored some calm and stability at the back.
Fabregas – 8
Lifted the team with his sense of purpose and class. Got us the win.

Vote for your Man of the Match here.

Arsenal are second in the Premier League. Huddersfield are third in League One. Even if Arsene Wenger fields our second choice option in every position we should win.

He won’t of course and I personally hope that he only rotates half the team at most. Because the only thing that can stop us tomorrow is a big dose of complacency. That’s what plagued us in the first half of the season.

Over the last few weeks we have built up a sense of confidence and momentum. I hope we keep that going tomorrow. Obviously some players will be rested ahead of the Everton game but I hope that Szczesny, Song and Nasri all play.

On the subject of goalkeepers, I don’t understand how people end up writing sentences like ‘Arsenal will get a massive boost as Almunia returns to the squad after injury’. Almunia is a nice guy but he’s had his chance and not made the grade. The competition for Arsenal number one is between Fabianski and Szczesny – and right now Szczesny looks the part.

Picking an Arsenal team to play Huddersfield should be a straightforward task.  But this will be the ninth game in January, closely followed by a trip to Everton.  The there’s the adventurous talk of a quadruple all of a sudden!

On the positive side, the injury list is pretty short by recent Arsenal standards with only Fabianski and Vermaelen definitely out, whilst Bacary Sagna is still nursing a bit of a headache.

The goalkeeper slot isn’t a problem as there isn’t a whole lot of difference between the two Poles anyway.  I guess Eboue will start to give Sagna a bit longer off after his poleaxing.  The only slight worry being that Djourou could probably do with a break too and Eboue does need support from the right CB when he gets stranded out of position.  Still, this is against Huddersfield right?

Will Wenger change three at the back and rest Clichy as well?  Close call.

Song had a rest against Ipswich and it’s probably Wilshere’s turn for a breather now.  I suppose we could see Diaby instead, but I hope not.  Too many changes can invite problems.

I reckon Nasri will play in the middle to give Fabregas a break.  Up front?  How about Walcott, Bendtner and Arshavin?

That would make the line-up:

__________ Fabianski __________
Eboue _ Squillaci _ Koscielny _ Clichy
______ Denilson _ Song _________
____________ Nasri ___________
Walcott ____ Bendtner ____Arshavin

Over the top for Huddersfield?  Maybe, but better than another replay or worse!  What do you think?